Iff** 


6  ttw  U(okSiatt  #    . 


PRINCETON,     N.     J. 


'"">, 


(Jamjl^j^^C  ij^Kjur:  ~>\:  JW.  J^  ^^  /^fi„ 


Shelf. 


Division ,.D.m), . J. . .1 . U..    ' 

Section   /.,l"..O.Tj[ 

Number 


■D   " 


SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES 


ON  THE 


BOOKS    OF    HOLY    SCRIPTURE, 


FIRST  SERIES, 

GENESIS SONG  OF  SONGS. 


BY  THE/ 

EEV.  DONALD  FEASEE,  M.A. 


NEW  YOEK: 
ROBERT   CAETEE   &   BROTHERS. 

1873. 


;.RTY  or* 

.htC.  Mil  1682 

1ICS 


CONTENTS. 


Introduction 

A  few  Words  on  the  Canon 

Genesis     . 

Exodus 

Leviticus  . 

Numbers   . 

Deuteronomy 

Joshua 

Judges 

Euth 

1  Samuel  . 

2  Samuel  . 

1  Kings    . 

2  Kings    . 

1  Chronicles 

2  Chronicles 


1 

3 

13 

25 

36 

43 

GO 

71 

83 

96 

110 

122 

135 

148 

160 

171 


IV 

CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Ezra 

186 

Nehemiah 

197 

Esther 

212 

Job 

226 

Psalms — Part  I.    . 

242 

Psalms — Part  II.  . 

253 

Proverbs 

267 

ECCLESIASTES 

281 

Song  of  Solomon 

293 

INTRODUCTION. 


Though  I  have  never  been  very  successful  in  reproducing 
fully  and  vividly  what  I  have  spoken,  I  venture  to  offer  to 
the  public  the  substance  of  a  course  of  Lectures  delivered 
from  the  pulpit.  It  is  my  persuasion,  that  alike  for  the 
edification  of  the  Church,  and  for  the  defeat  of  scepticism, 
the  Bible  must  have  full  scope  and  fair  play,  and  be 
taught  to  the  people,  not  so  much  in  detached  verses, 
called  "  texts,"  as  in  the  large  sweep  of  its  revelation,  its 
vast  dimensions  of  thought,  and  wonderful  grasp  of  Divine 
ideas  and  human  interests  and  hopes. 

The  books  that  are  the  noblest  and  most  influential  are 
remarkable  for  the  breadth  of  soul  they  reveal — their 
width  of  sympathy,  range  of  survey,  and  power  of  various 
suggestion.     But  the  Book  of  God  is  above  all.     It  gives 

CO  o 

our  thought  the  widest  horizon — brings  to  our  affections  the 
richest  food  and  sweetest  sympathy — takes  mind,  con- 
science, and  reason  off  the  shallows,  and  permits  us  to 
"  launch  out  into  the  deep."  As  we  study  the  Holy  Bible,  a 
sense  of  its  exceeding  breadth  and  manifoldness  grows 
upon  us.     We  find  in  it  much  more  than  statements  to 

A 


2  INTRODUCTION. 

settle  our  doubts,  or  promises  to  stay  our  fears.  The  Book 
is  divinely  large.  Nothing  escapes  it.  There  is  no  problem 
in  the  moral  and  spiritual  sphere — no  sin  or  duty — no 
sorrow  or  joy,  on  which  it  does  not  cast  some  light.  No 
real  want  of  man  is  overlooked  in  it ;  nor  is  there  any 
truth  essential  to  be  known  which  is  not  enclosed,  or  sug- 
gested, in  its  far-reaching  words. 

The  proof-text  system  of  dealing  with  Scripture  has 
been  pernicious,  in  so  far  as  it  has  induced  fragmentary 
knowledge,  capricious  interpretation,  and  the  severance  of 
sentences  and  clauses  from  their  proper  connection  in  order 
to  sustain  a  dogmatic  position  or  controversial  point.  Now 
there  is  certainly  great  reward  in  searching  the  Scriptures 
minutely ;  but  they  must  be  searched  impartially  and  sur- 
veyed comprehensively,  if  we  would  escape  from  mere 
theological  ruts  and  hard  narrow  lines  of  thought,  and 
would  reach  clear  sweet  healthy  views  of  God's  truth  with 
largeness  of  soul  and  freshness  of  devout  affection. 

With  these  convictions,  I  feel  it  my  duty,  as  a  "  Pastor 
and  Teacher "  of  the  Church,  to  discourse  of  the  Bible  at 
large.  My  plan  is  to  indicate  the  scope  of  each  Book  of 
Scripture,  and  to  furnish  in  brief  a  compend  or  digest  of  its 
contents.  To  dilate  were  an  easy  task,  but  it  would  weary 
my  hearers,  deter  my  readers,  and  defeat  my  object. 
Therefore  I  have  subjected  my  matter  to  rigorous  compres- 
sion ;  and,  though  I  am  far  better  pleased  with  my  plan 
than  with  my  execution  of  it,  I  hope,  with  God's  blessing, 
to  persevere  until  I  have  completed  a  synopsis  of  the  whole 
Bible. 

May  1871. 


'fttU.  AUG  1882 

THHOLUGI 


A  FEW  WORDS  ON  THE  CANON. 


All  our  English  Bibles  contain  a  list  entitled,  "  The  Names 
and  Order  of  all  the  Books  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments, 
with  the  number  of  their  chapters."  According  to  this  list, 
there  are  thirty-nine  Books  in  the  Old  Testament,  twenty- 
seven  in  the  New. 

Every  one  knows  that  this  list  is  not  itself  a  part  of 
Scripture ;  and  it  is  a  legitimate  question,  To  what  degree 
of  respect  or  confidence  is  it  entitled,  and  why  do  the 
Books  therein  enumerated — these,  and  none  but  these — 
constitute  Holy  Writ  ?  This  is  just  the  question  known 
as  that  of  "the  Canon  of  Scripture."  The  Greek  word, 
xuvciv,  standard,  or  rule,  came  in  ecclesiastical  usage  to 
denote  an  authorised  list,  whether  of  books,  decrees  of 
councils,  or  clergy.  Whatever  was  accredited  and  approved 
in  the  Church  was  termed  canonical.  Books  of  Scripture 
were  so  called,  as  proper  to  be  read  in  the  Christian  assem- 
blies. Non-  canonical  books  were  those  disallowed  and 
excluded,  as  being  either  spurious  productions,  or,  if 
genuine  and  good  for  private  reading,  yet  apocryphal  or 
hidden  books,  the  authority  of  which  was  not  evident,  and 


4:  A  FEW  WORDS  ON  THE  CANON. 

which,  therefore,  had  no  just  claim  to  be  placed  in  tho 
sacred  Canon,  the  standard  of  faith  and  practice. 

The  Canon,  as  we  have  received  it,  shows  a  most  varied 
collection  of  Hebrew  and  Greek  works — histories,  poems, 
tracts,  prophecies,  and  letters,  written  at  intervals  during 
sixteen  centuries,  by  many  writers  known  and  unknown ; 
and  among  those  who  are  known,  men  of  every  rank  and 
condition — prophets,  kings,  priests,  a  scribe,  a  sheep-master, 
a  tax-gatherer,  a  physician,  a  tent-maker,  and  two  or  three 
fishermen.  The  volume  which  we  call  the  Bible  grew 
slowly  under  their  hands,  and  was  separated  from  other 
religious  writings  by  degrees.  So  God  ordered  it;  so  it 
seemed  good  in  His  sight. 

Our  doctrine  of  the  Canon  is,  that  the  collection  of 
Books,  which  we  bind  up  together,  constitutes  the  authentic 
and  complete  Bible,  the  authoritative  fountain  of  our  reli- 
gious knowledge.  But  this  does  not  involve,  and  should  not 
be  allowed  to  imply,  or  understood  to  cover,  the  opinion,  that 
all  the  Books  in  the  collection  are  of  equal  value,  or  equally 
full  of  the  mind  of  God,  or  equally  applicable  in  their 
teachings  to  the  time  in  which  we  live.  They  are  all 
sacred,  as  separated  to  holy  use  from  the  mass  of  even 
religious  literature ;  all  profitable,  but  not  all  equally  pro- 
fitable ;  and  all  to  be  read  with  reverence,  but  at  the  same 
time  with  intelligent  recognition  of  the  progress  which  is 
in  the  Bible  itself,  and  in  the  order  and  brightness  of 
Divine  dispensations  of  truth. 

I.  The  Old  Testament  we  receive  in  its  integrity  from 
the  Jews.  It  affects  Israel  and  the  nations,  and  prepares 
the  way  of  Christ  and  the  Church.  Its  foundation  is  in 
the  Law,  or  the  Five  Books  at  the  outset,  ascribed  to 


A  FEW  WORDS  ON  THE  CANON.  5 

Moses.  Subsequent  history,  poetry,  and  prophecy  evi- 
dently presuppose  and  proceed  upon  the  Pentateuch. 
Therefore,  from  earliest  times  down  to  this  day,  the 
Hebrews  have  paid  peculiar  veneration  to  the  Law. 

The  Historical  Books,  from  Joshua  to  Esther,  with  the 
single  exception  of  ISTehemiah,  are  of  anonymous  author- 
ship to  us,  though  it  is  quite  probable  that  the  writers  were 
well  known  at  the  time  of  their  admission  to  the  Canon. 
The  works  of  David,  Solomon,  and  the  prophets,  wTere 
easily  identified.  And  all  were  gathered  together  under 
the  divisions  of  the  Lawr,  the  Prophets,  earlier  and  later, 
and  the  Hagiographa.  At  what  time  this  was  done,  wTe 
have  no  certain  knowledge ;  but  the  Jewish  tradition  is  not 
improbable,  which  ascribes  the  editing  and  arranging  of  the 
Old  Testament  to  Ezra,  the  learned  Scribe. 

The  Hebrew  Canon  wTas  well  and  even  jealously  guarded 
by  the  Jews  of  Palestine ;  but  was  not  held  in  the  same 
definite  form  by  the  Hellenist  Jews.  Those  of  Alexandria 
used  the  Greek  translation  made  by  the  Seventy ;  and  in 
that  version  were  certain  additions  to  the  Books  of  Job, 
Esther,  and  Daniel,  which  were  unknown  to  the  Hebrew 
text,  and  certain  other  books,  as  of  Wisdom,  and  the  Mac- 
cabees, wdiich  never  existed  in  Hebrew,  and  are  known 
among  us  as  the  Apocrypha. 

A  very  important  testimony  to  the  Hebrew  Canon  is 
given  by  the  Jewish  writer  on  history  and  antiquities — 
Josephus.  It  runs  thus :  "  We  have  not  an  innumerable 
multitude  of  books  among  us,  disagreeing  from  and  contra- 
dicting one  another,  but  only  twenty-two  books,  which 
contain  the  records  of  all  the  past  times,  and  are  justly 
held  to  be  divine." — "  No  one  has  been  so  bold  as  to  add 


6  A  FEW  WORDS  ON  THE  CANON. 

anything  to  these  writings,  or  take  anything  from  them,  or 
make  any  change  in  them ;  but  it  is  become  natural  to  all 
Jews,  immediately,  and  from  their  birth,  to  esteem  those 
books  to  contain  divine  doctrines,  to  persist  in  them,  and, 
if  occasion  be,  willingly  to  die  for  them."  *  The  twenty- 
two  books,  as  Josephus  computed  them,  are  just  our  thirty- 
nine,  for  the  two  Books  of  Samuel  were  one,  two  of  Kings 
one,  two  of  Chronicles  one,  the  minor  prophets  one,  Ezra 
was  joined  to  Xehemiah,  Ruth  to  Judges,  and  Lamentations 
to  the  greater  work  of  Jeremiah.  The  Books  in  the  Canon 
are  said  to  have  been  thus  numbered  twenty-two,  in  order 
to  correspond,  like  the  parts  of  the  119th  Psalm,  with  the 
Hebrew  alphabet.  At  a  later  period,  the  number  was  given 
as  twenty-four,  the  Books  of  Faith  and  Lamentations  being 
allowed  separate  places  in  the  list. 

Our  Old  Testament  is  thus  received  from  that  people  to 
whom  "were  committed  the  oracles  of  God."  The  Lord  so 
ordered  it  in  His  providence,  that  the  Jews  should  honour 
this  collection  of  Books  above  and  apart  from  all  others,  and 
should  scrupulously  protect  them  from  addition  or  excision 
by  man.  They  have  preserved  them,  even  to  their  own 
condemnation. 

AVe  have  yet  greater  witness.  It  was  of  this  Old  Testa- 
ment that  Jesus  Christ  said,  "  Search  the  Scriptures."  In 
its  three  great  divisions  He  recognised  it,  when,  after  His 
resurrection,  He  taught  from  "  the  Law  of  Moses,  and  the 
Prophets,  and  the  Psalms."  And  of  this  part  of  the  Canon 
it  was  that  the  Apostle  Paul  declared,  "  All  Scripture  is 
given  by  inspiration  of  God." 

It  is  a  singular  fact  that  the  Jews  never  injured  or  cor- 

*  Answer  to  Apion,  Book  i. 


A  FEW  WORDS  ON  THE  CANON.  7 

rupted  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures  which  reprove  them ; 
and  the  Latin  Church  never  injured  or  corrupted  the  New 
Testament  Canon  by  which  its  superstitions  are  rebuked. 
But  the  Latin  Church  has  interfered  with  that  Canon 
which  the  Jews  so  diligently  guarded.  The  Latin  version, 
called  the  Vulgate,  had  contained  the  Apocrypha.  The 
Council  of  Trent,  in  1546,  pronounced  all  the  contents  of 
the  Vulgate  equally  canonical  and  authoritative  ;  and  thus 
were  eleven  books  or  parts  of  books,  which  the  Jews  of 
Palestine  excluded  from  their  Canon,  put  by  arbitrary  de- 
cree of  a  modern  council  on  a  level  with  Moses  and  the 
Prophets.  We  do  not  assert  that  this  was  done  for  dog- 
matic and  controversial  reasons;  but  it  is  obviously  con- 
venient for  the  Church  of  Rome  that,  as  there  is  no 
authority  for  purgatory,  the  merit  of  works,  or  prayers  of 
the  living  for  the  dead  in  Holy  Writ  properly  so  called, 
books  from  which  quotations  in  favour  of  these  things  can 
be  made — e.g.,  Baruch,  Tobit,  Ecclesiasticus,  and  the  Mac- 
cabees— should  be  elevated  to  canonical  dignity.  The 
Eastern  Church  long  maintained  the  distinction  between 
Canonical  Scripture  as  the  rule  of  faith,  and  other  books 
useful  for  edification.  A  Council  at  Jerusalem,  in  1672, 
canonised  the  Apocrypha ;  but  there  is  no  decision  on  the 
subject  binding  the  Eastern  Church  to  this  day.  The  Pie- 
formed  Churches  with  one  accord  repudiated  the  canon icity 
of  the  Apocrypha,  although  it  was  long  the  custom  in 
England,  and  still  is  in  Germany,  to  bind  up  those  books  in 
the  same  volume  with  Holy  Scripture. 

II.  The  history  of  the  Canon  of  the  New  Testament  is 
quite  analogous  to  that  of  the  Old.  Like  the  earlier  col- 
lection, it  grew  silently,  and  was  formed  and  settled,  as  we 


S  A  FEW  WORDS  ON  THE  CANON. 

now  have  it,  by  general  consent  of  the  Christians  in  the 
first  three  centuries  of  the  Church.  The  decision  was  not 
made  by  an  apostle,  or  arrived  at  by  any  special  Divine 
afflatus  for  the  purpose,  but  was  reached  more  gradually, 
and,  on  that  account,  all  the  more  convincingly  and  im- 
pressively, by  the  mature  examination  and  deliberate 
judgment  of  the  Christian  Church,  under  the  directing 
Providence  and  living  Spirit  of  God. 

The  four  Books,  with  which  the  New  Testament  opens, 
called  Gospels,  bear  the  same  relation  to  those  which  follow, 
that  the  five  Books  at  the  beginning  of  the  Old  Testament, 
called  the  Law,  bear  to  the  subsequent  Hebrew  Scriptures. 
They  are  the  pillars  that  support  all  that  is  afterwards  re- 
corded. They  were  produced  in  the  first  century,  and  there 
is  very  good  evidence  that  during  the  second  century  they 
were  widely  known  and  circulated  as  genuine  Gospels.  There 
were  others  in  circulation  too,  but  they  never  had  the  same 
reception  or  repute,  and  have  long  ago  fallen  into  oblivion, 
or  been  recognised  as  of  little  worth.  Some  of  the  books 
which  we  receive  were  in  question  for  a  considerable  time, 
viz.,  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  James,  2d  Peter,  2d  and 
3d  John,  Jude,  and  the  Eevelation.  At  last  all  these 
were  acknowledged ;  and  the  hesitation  shown  in  regard 
to  them  only  increases  our  confidence  in  their  authority, 
as  satisfying  us  that  whatever  could  be  alleged  against 
them  was  considered  in  the  time  of  the  first  publication 
and  found  to  be  of  no  weight,  and  also  as  proving  the 
extreme  deliberation  and  caution  with  which  the  Greek 
Canon,  equally  with  the  Hebrew,  was  made  up  and  de- 
fined. It  was  ascertained  that  all  the  Books  admitted  to 
the  Canon  proceeded  from  Apostles,  or  were  written  in  the 


A  FEW  WORDS  ON  THE  CANON.  9 

first  age,  in  harmony  with  the  spirit  and  oral  teachings  of 
the  Apostles  of  the  Lamb. 

A  Council  at  Laodicea,  a.d.  3G5,  forbade  the  reading  of 
uncanonical  books  in  Churches ;  and  a  catalogue  is  found 
appended  to  the  decrees,  which  corresponds  exactly  with 
our  list — except  as  regards  the  Book  of  Eevelation,  which 
is  omitted.  The  so-called  Council  of  Carthage,  a.d.  397, 
enumerates  the  Books  exactly  as  we  have  them.  We  do 
not  cite  the  acts  of  any  council  as  conferring  authority  on 
any  part  of  Scripture,  but  we  value  them  as  historical  evi- 
dence, that,  in  the  fourth  century,  the  Books  acknowledged 
by  the  Christians  of  the  East  and  the  West  were  the  same 
that  we  honour — all  the  same,  and  none  besides. 

The  manner  in  which  the  Canon  has  been  formed  con- 
fessedly leaves  scope  for  difficult  questions.  God  has 
ordered  that  so  it  should  be,  in  order  to  exercise  the  moral 
faculty,  spiritual  discernment,  and  loving  submission  of 
His  children. 

(1.)  Is  the  Bible  or  the  Church  the  greater?  It  is  a 
useless  question.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  the  Great  One  of 
this  dispensation.  It  is  the  Holy  Ghost  who,  by  the 
Word  spoken  and  written,  formed  the  Church,  and  by  the 
Church  formed  the  Bible.  The  Bible  exists  for  the 
Church,  not  the  Church  for  the  Bible;  but  then  the 
Church  exists  only  by  virtue  of  that  word  of  truth  which 
the  Bible  enshrines  and  preserves. 

(2.)  Does  the  formation  of  the  canon  by  the  Church 
involve  the  necessity  of  a  traditional  Church  interpreta- 
tion ?  Surely  not.  Least  of  all,  does  it  imply  what  is  arro- 
gated by  the  Latin  Church,  that  she  alone  is  authorised  to 
interpret  the  Scriptures.     We  acknowledge  ourselves  in 


10  A  FEW  WORDS  ON  THE  CANON. 

debted  to  the  Primitive  Church,  especially  in  the  East,  for 
the  historical  authentication  of  the  Books  of  the  New 
Testament ;  but  we  do  not  on  that  account  feel  bound  to 
accept  traditional  interpretations  of  the  Church  of  the  dark 
ages,  any  more  than  we  receive  traditional  interpretations 
of  the  Old  Testament  from  the  Jewish  Talmudists. 

(3.)  If  the  catalogue  of  Books  was  drawn  up  by  men 
like  ourselves  on  their  best,  but  fallible,  judgment,  may  it 
not  be  revised  or  altered  by  us  ?  AVe  should  not  fear  to 
subject  the  Bible  to  such  an  ordeal,  assured  as  we  are, 
that,  whatever  individuals  might  propose,  no  Christian 
Church  would  part  with  any  one  Book  or  part  of  a  Book 
in  our  present  Bible.  But  the  question  cannot  claim  an 
affirmative  answer.  AVe  are  not,  and  no  future  generation  can 
possibly  be,  in  such  favourable  circumstances  as  the  early 
Christians  were,  for  testing  the  authenticity  and  genuine- 
ness of  writings  ascribed  to  Evangelists  and  Apostles.  The 
Canon  has  passed  the  very  best  court  of  examination  that 
could  possibly  be  constituted ;  and  with  this  it  becomes 
us  to  be  content. 

The  use  of  the  term  "  Bible  "  to  denote  the  whole  collec- 
tion of  Sacred  Writings,  cannot,  we  believe,  be  traced  to 
an  earlier  date  than  the  fourth  century.  But,  now  that 
the  collection  is  made,  each  generation  sees  for  itself  how 
thoroughly  the  Books  form  one  Book,  structurally  and 
spiritually  one,  marvellously  woven  together — its  most 
distant  parts  connected  by  quotations,  allusions,  and  the 
correspondence  of  type  and  antitype — and  the  whole 
moulded  together  by  a  profound  unity  of  thought  and 
plan.      It  is   not  mechanically  combined   or   sewed   to- 


A  FEW  WORDS  ON  THE  CANON.  11 

gether.  It  is  organically  united  as  a  living  tree,  or  as  a 
living  body  of  which  one  part  cannot  be  touched  without 
affecting  all.  God  has  tempered  all  together,  so  that  if 
one  member  of  the  Bible  suffer,  all  its  members  suffer  with 
it.  It  may  be  persecuted,  neglected,  maligned,  or  contro- 
verted, but  the  Scripture  may  not  be  broken.  Destructive 
criticism  may  go  to  work  on  it  with  its  penknife,  as  did 
the  infatuated  king  of  Judah  on  the  roll  of  Jeremiah's  pro- 
phecy ;  but  when  penknife  and  fire  have  done  their  worst, 
the  writing  is  calmly  restored  as  it  was  before.  Our  Bible 
cannot  be  taken  to  pieces,  or  dissolved  into  its  elements. 
Here  are  many  Books — and  yet  the  Book  is  one — 


"With  the  eternal  heraldry 
And  signature  of  God  Almighty  stamped 
From  first  to  last. 


Happy  they  who  recognise  the  stamp,  and,  while  giving 
due  weight  to  the  historical  evidences  of  the  Canon,  know 
the  Bible  true  by  an  inward  moral  conviction  and  spiritual 
witness — who  appreciate  the  character  of  its  contents, 
"  the  heavenliness  of  the  matter,  the  efficacy  of  the  doctrine, 
the  majesty  of  the  style,  the  consent  of  all  the  parts,  and 
the  scope  of  the  whole,  which  is  to  give  all  glory  to  God ;" 
the  tone  it  has,  which  it  has  received  from  no  other  book, 
but  with  which  it  has  influenced  minds  and  books  in- 
numerable; and  its  singularly  penetrating  living  power 
over  the  human  heart  1 


SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 


GENESIS. 


The  Jews  have  no  title  for  this  book  but  its  first  word 
— Bercshith  (in  the  beginning).  The  Greeks  called  it 
Genesis  (origination).  It  was  a  saying  of  Luther,  "  Nihil 
pulchrius  Genesi,  nihil  utilius;"  and  all  thoughtful  men 
have  recognised  the  value  and  dignity  of  this  book  as  "  the 
stately  portal  to  the  magnificent  edifice  of  Scripture." 

It  is  the  oldest  trustworthy  book  in  the  world,  and  con- 
veys all  the  reliable  information  we  possess  of  the  history 
of  man,  for  more  than  two  thousand  years.  The  Vcdas 
are  ancient  hymns  and  legends  :  the  Zendavcsta  is  a  specu- 
lation on  the  origin  of  things :  but  Genesis  is  a  narrative, 
written  with  a  grave  archaic  simplicity.  It  is  character- 
istically a  book  of  origins  and  beginnings, — it  contains  the 
deeply-fastened  and  widely-spread  roots  of  all  futurity. 
There  is  nothing  afterwards  unfolded  in  the  relationships 
of  God  with  man,  that  is  not  at  least  in  rudiment,  or  germ, 
to  be  traced  in  Genesis. 

By  the  Jews  the  authorship  of  this  book  has  always 


14  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

been  ascribed  to  Moses;  but  it  is  a  point  which  recent 
critics  have  strongly  disputed  and  denied.  The  truth 
probably  lies  between  the  extreme  view  of  those,  on  the 
one  hand,  who  hold  that  Moses  alone  wrote  the  entire  book 
exactly  as  it  now  exists  in  the  Hebrew  Bible,  and  the 
extreme,  on  the  other  hand,  of  those  who  break  up  this 
book  into  a  collection  of  two,  three,  or  more  ancient  writ- 
ings put  together,  in  or  after  the  time  of  King  David.  To 
our  thinking,  the  whole  style  and  tenor  of  this  work  show 
it  to  be  of  a  far  earlier  date  than  the  times  of  the  Hebrew 
monarchy,  and  we  see  no  good  reason  to  question  its 
Mosaic  authorship,  although  it  may  have  passed  through 
the  editorial  hands  of  another  prophet.  As  to  the  alleged 
traces  of  various  authors  in  the  use  of  different  names  of 
the  Deity,  Elolvim  and  Jehovah,  and  the  occasionally  abrupt 
insertion  of  passages,  there  is  no  difficulty  in  accounting 
for  these  things  on  the  very  natural  supposition  that  Moses 
availed  himself  of  traditions  and  documents  of  earlier 
times  than  his  own,  and  writing  with  a  holy  simplicity, 
pieced  them  together  without  any  concealment.  Need  we 
say  that  the  place  of  this  book  in  the  canon  is  not  invali- 
dated by  any  such  view  of  its  authorship  ?  It  is  no  point 
of  faith  that  every  passage  in  Genesis  came  first  into 
existence  when  written  by  the  pen  of  Moses,  any  more 
than  it  is  a  point  of  faith  that  Samuel  wrote  without  any 
use  of  other  records  the  whole  Book  of  Judges.  We  must 
not  commit  ourselves,  in  the  supposed  defence  of  the  Bible, 
to  positions  which  cannot  be  satisfactorily  proved,  and 
which  it  is  not  in  the  least  necessary  to  prove.  Enough 
for  us,  that  Genesis  has  always  been  in  the  canon  of  Holy 
Scripture,  and  that  the  writer,  whether  in  communicating 


GENESIS.  15 

fresh  truth,  or  in  compiling  from  pre-existing  fragments  of 
history,  was  so  divinely  guided  as  to  form,  for  all  time 
coming,  a  religions  narrative  of  "  the  first  things  "  on  which 
our  faith  may  implicitly  rely. 

That  it  is  a  religious  history  accounts  for  various  features 
of  this  book  which  may  disappoint  the  mere  archaeologist, 
such  as  the  slight  and  incidental  manner  in  which  the 
general  annals  of  the  world  are  referred  to,  and  the  pro- 
minence given  to  the  lives  of  the  Hebrew  patriarchs. 
Genesis  does  cast  more  light  than  any  other  book  whatever 
on  early  history,  geography,  and  ethnology,  but  this  only 
by  the  way, — its  proper  object  being  to  unfold  the  religious 
history  of  mankind,  and  to  record  the  origin  of  that  nation 
in  which  the  true  knowledge  of  God  was  preserved  during 
long  ages  of  ignorance  and  idolatry. 

That  it  is  an  ancient  history,  written,  though  under 
divine  direction,  by  a  man  who  lived  more  than  three 
thousand  years  ago,  in  accordance  with  the  general  infor- 
mation he  possessed,  accounts  for  the  simple,  popular  way 
in  which  great  natural  facts  are  stated,  and  for  the  sketch- 
ing out  of  the  order  of  Creation  in  large  and  graphic  out- 
lines. It  is  no  reproach  to  the  book  that  it  is  unscientific 
in  language,  i.e.,  a  stranger  to  the  technical  terms  and 
details  of  modern  sciences.  This  is  just  as  it  ought  to  be, 
if  we  keep  in  mind  the  times  in  which,  and  the  purposes 
for  which,  it  was  composed.  It  would  be  most  incongruous 
if  anything  but  popular  language  were  employed  in  so 
ancient  a  book  to  express  rjhysical  phenomena.  Indeed, 
the  artlessness  of  the  narrative  forms  alike  one  of  its  best 
evidences  and  one  of  its  principal  charms.  AVe  are  not  to 
peer  into  it,  as  into  a  highly-elaborated  cabinet  picture.    It 


16  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

is  a  simple  but'  magnificent  sketch,  where  the  outlines  are 
of  the  boldest,  and  the  grouping  and  colouring  declare  a 
master's  hand. 

In  the  beginning  was  God.  He  only  has  had  no  origin, 
— never  began  to  be, — but  from  everlasting  to  everlasting 
was,  and  is,  and  is  to  be.  It  may  be  right  enough  to  con- 
struct arguments  for  the  divine  existence,  in  order  to  con- 
vince gainsayers  and  sceptics,  but  it  would  not  be  in 
harmony  with  the  character  of  the  Bible  to  open  with  any 
doubt  or  discussion  on  such  a  point.  God,  who  is  in  a 
high  sense  the  Author  of  Scripture,  does  not  argue  His 
own  existence  any  more  than  a  human  author  begins  his 
book  by  proving  that  he  himself  actually  lives.  God  is. 
What  is  the  conclusion  of  long  arguments  elsewhere  is  the 
starting-point  of  the  Bible.  The  name  of  God  is  stamped 
on  the  forehead  of  His  book. 

The  first  sentence  of  Genesis  excludes  many  errors.  (1.) 
Atheism, — for  God  created ;  (2.)  Polytheism, — for  it  is  one 
God  who  created  all;  (3.)  The  notion  of  the  eternity  of 
matter, — for  the  things  which  are  seen  had  a  beginning. 
We  know  not  how  remote  the  beginning  may  have  been, 
but  we  are  assured  that  the  very  materials,  as  well  as  the 
present  forms  of  things,  exist,  because  God  made  them. 
(4.)  Pantheism, — for  God  has  made  all  things,  and  is  in 
all,  yet  is  never  to  be  confounded  with  even  the  whole  of 
things  and  of  life — the  Universe.  An  author  must  not 
be  confounded  with  his  work,  or  a  builder  with  his 
building,  or  an  artist  with  his  masterpiece; — so  God, 
while  the  Author,  Builder,  and  Maker  of  all,  and  sus- 
taining and  conserving  what  He  has    produced,  is  not 


GENESIS.  17 

absorbed  in  nature,  but,  as  He  was  before  all,  so  now  is  He 
above  all,  blessed  for  ever. 

God  being  revealed,  Genesis  informs  us  of  eight  great 
beginnings  of  things, — beginnings  of  which,  without  this 
book,  we  have  no  satisfactory  knowledge  whatever. 

I.  Origin  of  Heaven  and  Earth. — This  subject  was  a 
dark  enigma  to  all  the  men  of  thought  in  the  heathen 
world,  but  the  Hebrew  Scriptures  open  with  the  decisive 
statement,  that  in  the  beginning  God  created  the  heavens 
and  the  earth.  To  this  day  nothing  more  has  been  dis- 
covered. However  explorers  and  speculators  spread  out  the 
ages  that  are  past  into  periods  of  prodigious  length,  the 
consent  of  opinion,  the  overwhelming  inference  from  all 
the  provinces  of  natural  science,  is  in  favour  of  an  ultimate 
starting  point,  a  "  beginning,"  and  of  the  operation  at  that 
"beginning"  of  an  intelligent  will, — an  individual  and 
omnipotent  Creator. 

At  the  same  time,  we  must  observe  that  it  was  not  the 
purpose  of  Moses,  and  perhaps  it  was  not  in  his  power,  to 
describe  Creation  with  scientific  accuracy*     Genesis,  like 

*  A  recent  ingenious  writer  considers  the  First  Chapter  of  Genesis  to  be 
an  Apocalypse  of  Creation  seen  by  Adam,  as  the  Apocalypse  of  the  new 
heavens  and  earth  was  seen  by  John.  I  am  not  prepared  to  allow  this,  in 
the  entire  absence  of  the  formula,  "  I  looked,  I  saw,"  so  often  found  in  the 
Book  of  Revelation  ;  nor,  if  we  admit  tbe  First  Chapter  to  be  a  vision,  doe3 
there  seem  to  be  good  reason  for  limiting  the  Apocalypse  to  the  Creation, 
raid  not  extending  the  same  theory  to  the  account  of  the  Fall,  and  to  later 
accounts  also,  since  there  is  observed  throughout  the  same  style  of  simple 
narrative.  I  quite  concur,  however,  in  the  following  observations  of  the 
writer  to  whom  I  allude  : — 

"  They  who  require  or  expect  in  Genesis  a  treatise  on  Geology,  will  be 
equally  disappointed  with  those  who  look  for  a  book  of  History  in  the 
Revelation  of  St.  John.  .  .  .  Future  discovery  must  not  be  anticipated 
any  more  than  future  history.  .  .  .  The  seven  days  of  Creation  arc  neithet 

B 


18  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

the  rest  of  the  Bible,  has  a  moral  and  spiritual  aim  only, 
and  therefore,  what  it  communicates  regarding  Creation, 
equally  with  other  subjects,  is  addressed,  less  to  the  specu- 
lative understanding  than  to  the  conscience  and  spiritual 
part  of  man.  Accordingly,  after  the  first  sentence,  the 
description  at  once  narrows.  We  are  told  of  a  chaotic 
condition  of  the  earth,  which  some  have  imagined  to  have 
ensued  on  the  fall  of  angels,  previously  living  on  its  sur- 
face. We  are  not,  however,  informed  of  any  creation  of 
angels  or  other  races  of  intelligent  creatures  before,  above, 
or  besides  ourselves.  The  object  is  to  show  the  prepara- 
tion made  for  man,  and  the  place  assigned  to  man  on  this 
earth  and  under  heaven.  So,  the  ordering  of  the  earth, 
and  sea,  and  sky,  in  six  periods,  each  marked  by  an 
evening  and  a  morning,  or  fading  and  growing  light,  is 
drawn  out  in  a  brief  sketch,  and  this  lies  on  the  first  page 
of  the  Bible, — a  sore  puzzle  to  those  who  fancy  that  they 
are  bound  to  read  it  as  a  complete  Divine  account  of  the 
whole  creation.  It  was  never  intended  to  be  so  taken. 
It  is  simply  a  sketch  of  God's  arrangement  of  a  dwelling- 
place  for  man — in  illustration  of  which  we  may  notice  the 
importance  assigned  to  the  moon  above  the  stars.  It  is 
named  one  of  the  "  two  great  lights,"  solely  because  of  its 
superior  usefulness  to  man.     In  fact,  the  main  interest  of 

seven  literal  days  of  twenty-four  hours  each,  nor  yet  seven  definite  historical 
periods,  the  events  of  which  are  literally  recorded,  but  as  the  seven  seals, 
trumpets,  and  vials  of  St.  John's  Revelation  represented  the  history  of  the 
future  by  a  typical  representation  of  each  of  its  grand  divisions,  withoutany 
of  than  being  chronologically  defined,  so  do  the  seven  days  of  the  Mosaic 
cosmogony  represent,  in  a  dramatic  and  typical  form,  the  successive  changes 
which  took  place  at  creation,  each  grand  feature  being  boldly  sketched  out 
in  one  scenic  representation  characteristic  of  that  particular  epoch." — 
Primeval  Man  Unveiled,  pp.  40-44. 


GENESIS.  10 

the  first  chapter,  after  the  first  verse,  is  intended  to  rest  on 
its  conclusion,  the 

II.  Origin  of  the  Human  Eace  at  present  inhabiting 
the  Earth. — The  world  teemed  with  life  at  God's  word ; 
then  He  formed  man  out  of  the  dust,  and  "breathed  into 
him.  Scripture  is  pledged  to  the  doctrine,  that  man  is  no 
adaptation,  improvement,  or  development  of  a  previously 
existing  creature,  but  wholly  a  new  creature,  while  con- 
taining in  his  structure  the  best  points  of  prior  and  infe- 
rior organizations.  "VVe  are  not  concerned  here  with  the 
question  of  a  pre-Adamite  race  of  men.  If  it  can  be 
proved  that  such  beings  lived,  and  strove  with  wild  beasts 
before  Adam  and  Eve  existed,  let  it  be  proved.  The  inte- 
rest of  the  Bible,  and  of  all  religious  history,  revolves  round 
the  Adamic  race,  formed  for  the  subjugation  of  the  earth, 
gifted  with  intellect,  conscience,  and  dignity,  and  begin- 
ning their  career  in  happy  communion  with  Jehovah- 
God. 

III.  Beginning  of  Marriage. — In  the  first  chapter  of 
the  Book  of  Genesis,  we  read  of  the  duality  of  the  race 
from  its  origin :  "  male  and  female  created  He  them."  The 
sexual  distinction  already  established  throughout  the 
animal  and  vegetable  kingdoms  was  continued  in  the 
lordly  human  race.  In  the  second  chapter  the  formation 
of  woman  is  more  fully  described,  with  her  marriage  to 
"the  man"  by  the  Lord  Himself.  Henceforth,  marriage  is 
honourable  in  all.  It  may  not  be  broken  capriciously,  for 
whatever  may  have  occurred  in  Israel  or  any  other  nation 
in  regard  to  divorce  at  the  pleasure  of  the  husband,  "  from 


20  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

the  beginning  it  was  not  so."  Originally,  marriage  is  the 
union  of  one  man  and  one  woman,  whom  God  has  joined 
together,  so  that  they  are  no  more  twain,  but  one.  This 
is  the  Divine  law  of  marriage  for  ever — the  nuptial  one- 
ness being  dissolved  by  death  only,  or  in  exceptional  cases 
by  such  divorce  as  the  word  of  Jesus  Christ  expressly 
allows. 

IV.  Entrance  of  Sin,  and  Death  by  Sin. — There  is  no 
question  that  sin  is  in  the  world,  and  has  been  in  it  as 
long  as  human  memory  extends.  Because  of  this  there  is 
much  misery ;  there  is  moral  and  spiritual  death  by  sin. 
Had  this  a  beginning?  and  if  so,  how  did  it  originate? 
Genesis  gives  the  answer,  and  the  New  Testament  repeats 
it, — "  By  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death 
by  sin."  Whether  we  regard  the  account  of  the  Garden, 
the  trees,  the  beautiful  fruit,  and  the  speaking  serpent,  as 
plain  history,  or  as  Eastern  allegory,  this  at  all  events  is 
the  account  of  the  entrance  of  sin,  to  which  the  Bible  is 
pledged.  It  came  into  the  world  by  the  will  of  man  con- 
travening the  known  will  of  God — not  by  the  gradual 
decline  of  a  race  of  men  from  primitive  simplicity  and 
purity,  but  "  by  one  man's  disobedience,"  the  fall  from  his 
integrity  of  the  head  and  parent  of  our  race.  Thereafter, 
sin,  having  obtained  an  entrance  into  the  world,  continued 
and  spread  by  a  law  of  descent,  and  a  power  of  contagion. 
And  judgment  followed ;  death  by  sin ; — and  "  death  has 
passed  on  all,  for  all  have  sinned." 

The  Book  of  Genesis,  having  thus  explained  the  exist- 
ence of  sin  on  the  earth,  proceeds  to  tell  of  its  ravages — 
murder   in   the   first   family — violence  overspreading  the 


GENESIS.  21 

Old  "World — a  generation  of  the  ungodly  swept  away  by 
the  deluge — sin  in  Noah's  family  immediately  after  the 
flood — sin  in  Sodom  and  Gomorrah — sin  in  the  families  of 
the  patriarchs — sin  in  Canaan,  and  sin  in  Egypt — sin  in  the 
dwellers  in  cities,  and  sin  in  the  dwellers  in  tents.  To 
multiply  gods,  to  make  idols,  to  dishonour  parents,  to  kill, 
to  commit  adultery,  to  steal,  to  lie,  to  covet — the  beginnings 
of  all  "these  sins  are  found  written  in  Genesis. 

% 

V.  Origin  of  Sacrifice. — It  is  not  affirmed  in  this  book 
that  God  ordained  the  offering  of  sacrifice  to  Himself,  but 
it  is  made  evident  that  acceptable  worshippers,  such  as  Abel, 
Noah,  and  Abraham,  followed  some  intimation  of  the 
Divine  will,  and  made  their  oblations — not  according  to 
mere  human  impulses  or  instincts,  but  in  faith  and  in  the 
obedience  of  faith.  There  is  every  probability,  that  the 
animals  with  whose  skins  Adam  and  Eve  were  first  clothed, 
had  been  slain  in  sacrifice.  They  could  not  have  been 
killed  for  food,  as  flesh  was  not  eaten  till  after  the  flood. 
Abel's  sacrifice  is  affirmed  in  the  New  Testament  to  have 
been  offered  "in  faith."  With  sacrifice  Noah  took  pos- 
session of  a  New  World;  with  sacrifice  at  Shechem, 
Abraham  entered  on  the  Land  of  Promise.  The  heathen 
soon  debased  the  ordinance  of  sacrifice  to  cruel  and  super- 
stitious rites,  but  from  the  beginning  its  idea  was  the 
solemn  devotement  of  life  to  God,  pouring  out  the  soul 
unto  death,  in  type  of  the  Slain  "Lamb  of  God  Which 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world." 

YI.  Beginning  of  Covenant  Promises. — We  refer,  not 
to  the  ordinance  delivered  to  Adam,  which  divines  have 


22  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

called  a  Covenant  of  Life,  or  Covenant  of  Works,  but  to 
the  Covenants,  expressly  so  termed,  which  were  made  with 
Noah  and  with  Abraham. 

Each  of  these  was  a  covenant  in  the  sense  of  an  engage- 
ment, which  God,  of  His  mere  grace,  made,  and  permitted 
to  be  pleaded  and  urged  as  a  claim  upon  himself.  Each 
was  a  covenant  by  sacrifice,  and  each  had  a  sign  in  the  sky 
— the  one  the  rainbow,  the  other  the  countless  stars.  Each 
had  a  promise ;  the  one,  of  the  preservation  of  the  world 
from  a  recurrence  of  the  deluge,  the  other  of  a  blessing  on 
all  nations  of  the  world,  in  Abraham's  seed,  which  is  Christ. 

VII.  Beginning  of  Nations  and  Tongues. — The  tenth 
chapter  of  this  book  details  the  early  divisions  and 
genealogies,  proceeding  from  the  three  branches  of  Noah's 
family ;  and  although  some  may  pass  it  by  as  a  dry  cata- 
logue of  names,  it  is  really  a  record  of  immense  value  to 
the  ethnologist  and  to  every  student  of  antiquity.  A  great 
living  authority  has  called  it  "a  chapter  of  wonderful 
grasp,  and  still  more  wonderful  accuracy — a  sketch  of  the 
nations  of  the  earth,  their  ethnic  affinities,  and  to  some 
extent  their  geographical  position  and  boundaries.  The 
Toldoth  Bcni  Noah  has  extorted  the  admiration  of  modern 
ethnologists,  who  continually  find  in  it  anticipations  of  their 
greatest  discoveries."* 

VIII.  Origin  of  the  Hebrew  Eace.  —  Idolatry  had 
begun  in  the  East ;  tribes  and  nations  fell  under  the  power 
of  vain  superstitions.  It  pleased  God  to  institute  a  new 
dispensation  of  religion,  in  direct  opposition  to  Polytheistic 

*  Eawlinson's  Bampton  Lectures,  lect.  ii. 


GENESIS.  23 

heathenism.  It  began  in  the  call  of  Abram.  Heathenism 
had  been  allowed  to  take  possession  of  the  banks  of  the 
Euphrates  and  Tigris,  of  the  realm  of  Egypt,  and  the  regions 
and  islands  over  which  the  human  race  rapidly  spread. 
But  God  set  His  eye  and  His  heart  on  the  land  of  Canaan, 
— designed  it  for  a  Holy  Land,  and  called  Abraham  to 
occupy  it  as  His  friend,  and  the  ancestor  of  a  people 
through  whom  salvation  should  come  to  the  world,  and  of 
whom  should  be  born  the  Saviour  of  mankind. 

The  latter  and  larger  part  of  Genesis  is  occupied  with 
biographical  sketches  of  the  Hebrew  patriarchs. 

Abraham  was  the  man  of  faith,  and  friend  of  God.  His 
son,  by  Hagar  the  bondwoman,  was  Ishmael,  a  wild  man, 
for  faith  can  have  by  the  spirit  of  bondage  nothing  but 
restlessness  and  confusion.  His  son,  by  Sarah  the  free- 
woman,  was  Isaac,  the  heir  of  promise.  The  issue  of  faith 
and  liberty  is  peace. 

Isaac  fills  up  calmly  and  unobtrusively  the  interval  be- 
tween Abraham's  grand  career  and  the  complicated  agitated 
history  of  Jacob.  Yet  he  too  had  his  trials  of  faith,  like 
Abraham  his  father,  in  regard  to  an  heir  of  promise.  Eirst 
he  had  to  wait  long  for  the  birth  of  a  child  to  continue  his 
line,  and  then  he  was  baffled  in  his  preference  for  his  elder 
son  by  the  Divine  election  of  the  younger  to  be  the  cove- 
nant heir. 

Jacob  is  at  first  a  very  faulty  character,  full  of  craft  and 
selfishness ;  but  by  chastisements  and  visions  of  heavenly 
things  he  was  corrected,  and  at  last  proved  to  be  an  Israel, 
a  Prince  with  God.  His  early  sins,  however,  brought  late 
sorrows  upon  him.     As  he  had  lied  to  his  father  Isaac,  so 


24  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

his  children  lied  to  him  in  his  old  age,  and  bowed  his 
hoary  head  under  a  causeless  grief. 

Joseph  had  trial  of  envy,  betrayal,  false  accusation,  un- 
just imprisonment,  sudden  exaltation,  and  almost  imperial 
power.  With  the  romantic  history  of  this  hero,  saint,  and 
signal  type  of  Christ,  the  grand  Book  of  Genesis  ends. 

Search  this  Scripture,  for  it  testifies  of  Christ. 

1.  By  and  for  Christ  were  all  things  created  and  made. 

2.  The  last  Adam  is  Christ. 

3.  Adam  and  Eve  in  marriage  present  Christ  and  the 
Church. 

4.  Sin  is  put  away,  and  righteousness  brought  in  by  one 
man — Christ. 

5.  Christ  was  once  offered  to  bear  the  sins  of  many. 
0.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant, 

7.  Men  shall  be  blessed  in  Christ,  and  all  nations  shall 
call  him  blessed. 

8.  Christ  is  the  Consolation  and  the  King  of  Israel. 
Our  Lord  is  also  variously  set  forth  in  typical  men, — in 

Adam,  Abel,  Noah,  Melchizedec,  Isaac,  and  Josaph.  He  is 
the  best  fulfilment  of  the  oracle  concerning  the  victorious 
seed  of  the  woman,  and  to  Him  belongs,  in  the  highest 
sense,  the  heirship  according  to  promise.  As  we  read 
Genesis,  let  us  learn  Christ,  and  thank  God  that  the  Scrip- 
ture which  opens  our  wound  of  sin,  points  us  also  to  our 
remedy  in  Jesus. 


EXODUS. 

The  name  of  the  second  book,  like  that  of  the  first,  is  taken 
from  the  Greek  version, — the  principal  event  related  being 
the  exodus,  or  out-going  of  Israel  from  Egypt. 

This  book  is  evidently  connected  by  its  opening  word 
"  Now,"  with  the  book  which  goes  before,  and  is  from  the 
same  pen.  Yet  it  is  unlike  Genesis.  It  covers  a  far 
shorter  period  of  time ;  and,  whereas  Genesis  is  at  first  a 
book  of  universal  history,  and  thereafter  of  minute  bio- 
graphical sketches,  Exodus  is  throughout  the  book  of  a 
chosen  nation.  The  only  biographical  sketch  it  contains  is 
that  of  the  national  Leader,  and  the  events  of  his  life  are 
dwelt  upon  only  in  so  far  as  they  affected  the  fortunes  of 
Israel. 

As  Genesis  is  the  book  of  roots  and  becrinnincrs,  so 
Exodus  is  that  of  redemption,  and  the  law  given  to  the 
redeemed.  Or,  it  may  be  arranged  and  read  thus  :  Israel  in 
Egypt,  12  chapters ;  Israel  going  from  Egypt  to  Sinai,  6 
chapters ;  Israel  at  Sinai,  22  chapters — 40  chapters  in  all. 

I.  Israel  in  Egypt. — At  the  end  of  Genesis,  the  house 
of  Jacob  was  a  large  and  prosperous  family,  in  high  favour 
with  the  Egyptian  government,  and  occupying  the  fertile 


26  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

district  of  Goshen.  At  the  beginning  of  Exodus,  the  family 
had  become  a  numerous  people,  and  their  increase  excited 
the  fears  of  the  court,  and  the  jealousy  of  the  native  Egyp- 
tians. The  stern  Pharaoh,  who  filled  the  throne,  reduced 
them  to  bondage,  and  compelled  them  to  construct  vast 
public  works,  an  occupation  most  uncongenial  to  a  pastoral 
race.  Task-masters  were  set  over  them,  who  spared  not 
the  bastinado.  So  the  affliction  of  Israel  became  very 
grievous.  Egypt  was  made  bitter  to  them,  as  a  house  of 
bondage,  and  their  male  children  were  doomed  to  death  by 
the  Egyptians,  in  order  to  diminish  and  ultimately  exter- 
minate the  Hebrew  race. 

The  nation  seems  to  have  produced  no  man  of  mark 
after  Joseph  for  a  period  of  seventy  years.  There  are  such 
blank  periods,  barren  of  greatness,  in  the  history  of  every 
people ;  and  more  than  one  nation  has  had  to  be  brought 
into  terrible  emergency  before  it  could  produce  a  real  hero. 
Thus,  while  Israel  prospered  in  Goshen,  no  great  man 
arose,  but  when  the  iron  entered  into  their  souls,  Moses 
was  born, — a  fair  child,  a  wise  and  gallant  youth,  a  man  of 
lofty  strain,  gifted  with  the  faculty  of  command,  and  an 
aptitude  for  the  conduct  of  arduous  enterprises; — but 
more,  and  better  still,  a  chosen  vessel  of  Jehovah,  a  man 
of  faith  and  works,  of  patience  and  energy,  fit  to  be  re- 
ceived into  near  intimacy  and  sublime  converse  with  God. 

It  was  so  ordered  by  Providence,  that  this  destined  De- 
liverer should  have  a  most  complete  training  for  his  work. 
In  early  life  he  enjoyed  the  highest  education  the  age 
could  afford;  military  discipline,  too,  and  all  princely 
advantages.  Thereafter  he  passed  many  years  in  the  very 
deserts  through  which  he  had  subsequently  to  lead  the 


EXODUS.  27 

twelve  tribes,  thus  strengthening  his  soul  in  meditation 
and  solitude,  while  forming  a  personal  acquaintance  with 
the  hills,  valleys,  practicable  routes,  and  nomad  tribes  of 
the  Arabian  wilderness. 

When  Moses  was  ripe  for  the  great  task  of  his  life,  the 
people  of  Israel  were  in  yet  more  intolerable  bondage  than 
at  the  time  of  his  birth.  The  Pharaoh,  at  whose  court  he 
was  educated,  had  died,  but  his  successor  was  still  more 
harsh  and  arbitrary.  "  And  the  children  of  Israel  sighed 
by  reason  of  the  bondage,  and  they  cried,  and  their  cry 
came  up  unto  God,  by  reason  of  the  bondage.  And  God 
heard  their  groaning,  and  God  remembered  His  covenant 
with  Abraham,  with  Isaac,  and  with  Jacob,  and  God  looked 
upon  the  children  of  Israel,  and  God  had  respect  unto 
them." 

The  prayer  of  the  oppressed  in  Egypt  began  to  be  an- 
swered in  Midian.  The  Lord  called,  and  commissioned 
Moses  to  overcome  the  haughty  Pharaoh.  He  gave  not 
only  "  redemption  to  his  folk,"  but  a  Eedeemer,  who  was 
not  ashamed  to  call  them  brethren,  who  identified  him- 
self with  them,  descended  into  their  affliction,  and  delivered 
them  out  of  it,  by  judgment  and  mercy.  Moses  brought 
judgment  to  the  gods  and  Pharaoh  of  Egypt,  mercy  to 
the  poor  and  oppressed,  "whose  cry  had  come  up  unto 
God." 

Successive  chapters  narrate  the  wonderful  controversy 
between  the  unarmed  Moses  and  his  brother  Aaron  on  the 
one  side,  and  on  the  other  the  Pharaoh  who  was  feared  as 
the  mightiest  monarch  in  the  world,  and  even  worshipped 
as  a  god.  Stroke  upon  stroke  displayed  the  might  of 
Jehovah,  the  God  of  Moses  and  of  Israel,  over  the  Pharaoh 


23  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

and  the  gods  of  Egypt,  with  all  their  magicians  and  priests. 
Every  blow  of  judgment  had  a  direction  against  the  super- 
stitions of  the  land.  It  was  the  sacred  Nile  that  was 
turned  to  blood.  It  was  a  nation  that  worshipped  animal 
forms, — even  frogs  and  beetles,  as  well  as  cattle, — that  was 
plagued  with  frogs,  and  swarms  of  vermin,  and  saw  their 
fields  desolated  by  locusts,  and  their  cattle  perishing  by 
murrain  and  hail-storms.  It  was  the  people  who  wor- 
shipped the  sun-god,  and  called  their  monarch  Pharaoh 
(the  child  of  the  sun),  that  sat  in  darkness  for  three 
days. 

The  decisive  blow  was  that  of  death,  not  sparing  the 
first-born  of  Pharaoh  himself — the  man  who  had  wielded 
the  absolute  power  of  death — or  of  his  people,  who  had 
concurred  in  his  treatment  of  Israel,  or  even  of  the  beasts, 
in  order  that  shame  might  be  poured  on  the  beast-worship 
of  Egypt, 

At  last  the  deliverance  was  accomplished,  and  Israel 
went  free,  redeemed  from  the  plague  of  death,  by  the  blood 
of  the  lamb  of  passover,  and  redeemed  from  the  dominion 
of  Pharaoh  and  his  task-masters,  by  the  power  of  God, 
whose  rod  Moses  carried  as  a  weapon  mightier  far  than 
sword  or  spear. 

All  this  is  surely  full  of  spiritual  suggestion  for  our 
profit.  They  whose  consciences  are  alive  to  the  true 
nature  of  the  service  of  sin,  know  the  house  of  bondage, 
and  the  brick-kilns,  and  the  cruel  task-masters.  They 
who  are  acquainted  with  the  love  and  power  of  Christ, 
know  that  He  has  borne  reproach,  and  not  merely  risked, 
but  suffered  death  to  deliver  us.  By  His  precious  blood 
are  our  lives  redeemed,  and  by  His  rod  of  strength  are  our 


EXODUS.  29 

enemies  subdued.     If  the  Son  make  us  free,  then  are  we 
free  indeed. 

II.  Israel  goixg  from  Egypt  to  Sinai.— From  the  land 
of  bondage  the  tribes  went  out  in  orderly  array.  Never 
was  seen  such  an  emancipation  of  slaves  in  a  night,  or  a 
simultaneous  emigration  on  so  large  a  scale. 

Another  judgment  marked  the  exodus.  Pharaoh  pur- 
sued with  an  army  which  trusted  in  chariots  and  horses ; 
Moses  trusted  in  Jehovah  alone.  So  the  pursuit  issued  in 
the  utter  destruction  of  Pharaoh  and  his  host,  while  Israel, 
"baptized  unto  Moses,  in  the  cloud  and  in  the  sea," 
emerged  on  the  shore  of  safety,  and  sung  and  prayed 
before  the  Lord,  who  triumphed  gloriously.  All  the  better 
they  sang  that  they  had  sighed  before,  and  the  Lord  had 
turned  their  mourning  into  dancing,  and  girded  them  with 
gladness. 

Thenceforward  Israel  was  reckoned  a  people  separated 
from  the  world,  God's  chosen  witnesses,  His  first-born  of 
nations,  favoured  with  special  guidance  and  provision. 
Bread  was  given  to  them,  and  water  was  sure.  For  their 
need  the  very  heavens  rained  down  manna  by  their  tents, 
and  a  fountain  burst  from  the  flinty  rock.  "When  the 
hardy  sons  of  Amalek  assailed  them,  the  prayer  of  Moses 
brought  victory  to  the  sword  and  spear  of  Joshua,  and  of 
Israel.  The  way  prescribed  to  them  was  such  as  became 
a  redeemed  people, — a  way  of  faith  and  new  obedience, 
marked,  alas !  very  early  by  outbreaks  of  a  murmuring 
spirit  on  the  part  of  the  tribes,  but  full  of  the  grace  of 
God,  Who,  having  delivered,  then  sustains  and  guides,  the 
people  of  His  choice. 


30  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

All  this,  too,  is  rich  in  spiritual  suggestion  for  us.  They 
who  are  now  the  people  of  God,  are  not  only  rescued  from 
bondage,  but  are  baptized  into  Christ,  and,  being  made 
partakers  of  His  resurrection,  sing  to  the  Lord  a  new 
song,  and  then  set  out  on  a  new  career.  That  career  must 
be  in  separation  from  the  world,  and  lowly  dependence  on 
Christ  for  bread  and  water  of  life,  and  for  victory  over 
those  that  war  against  their  souls.  It  is  a  walk  by  faith, 
not  sight,  and  though  marred  by  murmuring  and  folly  on  the 
part  of  the  pilgrims,  it  is  guarded  day  and  night  by  the 
power  of  God,  and  reveals  the  riches  of  His  long-suffering 
grace.  This  analogy  has  become  so  familiar  to  every 
devout  mind,  that,  almost  unconscious  of  any  figure  of 
speech,  Christians  are  ready  to  sing, — 

"  From  Egypt  lately  come, 
Where  death  and  darkness  reign, 
We  seek  our  new,  our  better  home, 
Where  we  our  rest  shall  gain." 

III.  Israel  at  Sinai. — Three  months  were  consumed 
on  the  march  to  the  Wilderness  of  Sinai.  There  the  people 
lay  encamped  for  nearly  a  year,  receiving  the  law,  and 
being  organised  as  a  sacred  host  around  the  tabernacle  of 
their  God. 

Jehovah,  the  Divine  Eedeemer  of  Israel,  came  down 
among  them  as  their  King.  He  chose  the  Mount  Sinai  in 
Arabia  as  His  throne,  or  seat  of  authority,  and  thence, 
amidst  clouds  and  darkness  and  lightning  flashes  that  lit 
up  the  rugged  rocks,  He  uttered  His  Holy  Law.  It  was 
in  ten  words,  or  commandments,  and  these  the  Lord  was 
afterwards  pleased  to  engrave  on  slabs  of  stone,  and  to 
deliver  to   Moses   in   the   mount.     Thus   was   redeemed 


EXODUS.  31 

Israel  brought  under  a  distinct  code  of  duty  and  a  theo- 
cratic government.  Let  us  observe,  however,  that  theo- 
cracy never  meant  a  government  by  priests.  God  established 
His  government  over  Israel  in  the  hands  of  Moses  and  the 
elders,  while,  as  yet,  there  were  no  priests  in  existence. 
When  they  were  appointed,  they  were  not  entrusted  as 
such  with  any  functions  of  government — functions,  indeed, 
for  which  priests  have  in  all  times  and  all  countries  shown 
themselves  peculiarly  unfit. 

While  the  Israelites  were  slaves,  they  were  compelled 
to  serve  the  will  of  Pharaoh.  When  they  were  free,  they 
were  bound  to  do  the  will  of  Jehovah.  They  could  not 
serve  two  masters.  The  yoke  of  the  heathen  they  cast  off, 
and  took  upon  them  the  yoke  of  Jehovah,  holy,  just,  and 
good.  Too  true  it  is  that  they  broke  God's  law,  and  even 
at  the  foot  of  the  sacred  mount,  in  the  absence  of  Moses, 
relapsed  into  the  Egyptian  worship  of  the  ox.  But  the 
law  of  the  Lord  changed  not,  and  the  obligation  to  obedi- 
ence was  not  modified.  Through  their  history  it  was 
taught  for  all  time  to  come  that  a  redeemed  people  are 
bound  to  be  a  holy  people,  and  that  the  God  of  their  sal- 
vation requires  it  of  them,  that  they  obey  His  voice 
indeed,  and  keep  His  covenant. 

At  the  same  time,  the  standing  of  a  redeemed  people 
was  shown  even  at  Mount  Sinai  to  be  not  of  legal  merit, 
but  of  grace.  When  the  tribes  of  Israel  fell  back  in  fear 
at  the  foot  of  the  Mount,  Moses  drew  near  in  their  behalf 
as  a  mediator.  When  they  sinned  and  provoked  the  Lord 
to  wrath,  Moses  pleaded  for  them — significant  type  of  the 
Mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  who  ever  lives  to  make 
intercession  for  us. 


32  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

The  legislation  from  Sinai  included  civil  as  well  as  reli- 
gious ordinances,  but  all  connected,  commingled,  and  inter- 
laced together,  because  the  God  of  Israel  was  also  their 
King,  and  the  King  of  Israel  was  their  God.  To  the 
laws  and  ordinances  were  added  minute  prescriptions  for 
the  erection  of  the  House  of  God,  or  rather  Sacred  Tent, 
with  His  ark  and  mercy-seat,  and  altars  and  priesthood. 
Directions  delivered  to  Moses  in  regard  to  these,  and  an 
account  of  the  faithful  execution  of  the  Divine  commands, 
occupy  the  latter  part  of  Exodus. 

Among  the  heathen,  every  hill  and  grove  had  its  shrine 
to  one  or  other  of  many  gods,  and  its  own  solemnities  of 
worship.  The  God  of  Israel  was  One,  and  so  long  as  the 
times  of  Israel  continued  would  have  for  His  worship 
but  one  earthly  centre.  In  obedience  to  His  com- 
mand, a  sacred  tent  or  tabernacle  was  made  of  materials 
abundantly  provided  by  a  willing  people,  carefully 
fashioned  according  to  Divine  direction,  and  consecrated 
to  be  the  special  dwelling-place  of  Jehovah,  and  His  meet- 
ing-place with  man.  In  front  of  it  stood  the  altar  of 
burnt-offering,  and  the  laver  for  ablution — showing  that 
he  who  comes  to  God  must  come  by  water  and  by  blood. 
In  its  first  chamber  were  the  lamp-stand,  the  table  of 
shew-bread,  and  the  altar  of  incense,  to  express  illumi- 
nation, obedience,  and  prayer  on  the  part  of  those  who 
would  dwell  with  God.  In  its  second  chamber,  behind 
the  veil,  were  the  ark  of  testimony  containing  the  law,  and 
the  mercy-seat  thereon — i.e.,  God's  throne  of  grace  resting 
on  His  righteousness,  and  mercy  rejoicing  over  judgment. 
Figures  of  cherubim  were  carved  as  visible  attendants  of 
the  invisible  God — those  living  creatures,  symbols  of  all 


EXODUS.  33 

the  forces  of  created  life,  being  always  placed  near  the 
throne  of  the  Living  God.  The  tabernacle  seems  to  have 
had  no  floor  but  the  naked  ground — a  singular  contrast  to 
its  embroidered  curtains  and  golden  vessels.  It  pleased 
the  Lord  to  take  the  dust  of  the  earth  for  the  pavement  of 
an  "  earthly  sanctuary." 

Then  the  priesthood  was  appointed,  with  careful  direc- 
tions for  the  clothing  and  consecration  of  those  who  should 
fill  that  office.  The  sons  of  Aaron  were  dressed  in  fine 
linen,  clean  and  white — the  colour  of  purity  and  joy.  The 
high  priest  himself  wore  an  ephocl  of  blue,  the  colour  of 
obedience,  with  shoulder  ornaments  of  onyx  stone,  on 
which  were  engraved  the  names  of  the  tribes,  and  a  breast- 
plate containing  the  oracle  of  Urim  and  Thummim,  and 
bearing  twelve  precious  stones  with  the  names  of  the 
twelve  tribes  upon  them,  so  that  the  redeemed  people 
were  "  as  a  seal  upon  his  heart,  and  as  a  seal  upon  his 
arm."  The  mitre  or  turban  on  his  head  bore  a  motto  on  a 
golden  plate  which  covered  the  forehead — "  Holiness  to  Je- 
hovah." The  priests  were  bathed  in  water  before  they 
put  on  the  holy  and  beautiful  garments,  and  then  anointed 
with  the  same  "  holy  oil "  with  which  the  tabernacle  and 
its  vessels  were  consecrated — an  aromatic  ointment  made 
up  after  a  Divine  prescription,  and  strictly  reserved  for 
sacred  use — a  sign  of  the  holy  anointing  of  Christ  and  the 
Church  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

The  tablets  of  the  Decalogue  had  been  broken  by  Moses 
at  the  foot  of  Mount  Sinai,  in  his  cjrief  and  horror  at  the 
sight  of  Israel  worshipping  the  golden  Ox.  The  Lord  con- 
descended to  renew  them,  and  wrote  His  law  a  second 
time  on  "tables  of  stone."     His  anger  had  been  turned 


34  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

away ;  the  glory  of  His  goodness  had  been  shown ;  and  the 
intercession  of  Moses  for  Israel  had  been  accepted.  So 
He  gave  the  law  without  flashes  of  fire  or  cloudy  tempests 
into  the  mediator's  hand.  And  when  the  mediator  Moses 
brought  the  law  to  Israel,  his  face  was  radiant  with  the 
glory  of  the  Lord. 

At  the  end  of  the  Book  of  Exodus,  we  see  the  whole 
fabric  of  the  Mosaic  polity  complete,  the  symbol  of  God's 
presence  resting  by  day  and  night  on  the  tabernacle  in  the 
midst  of  the  pilgrim  host.  Truly  an  inestimable  Book, 
setting  forth  for  all  time  coming  the  essential  truths  of 
redemption,  separation  to  God,  the  way  of  the  redeemed, 
the  holy  law  delivered  to  them,  their  education  and  discip- 
line, and  the  provision  made  for  their  approach  to  God, 
and  God's  dwelling  among  them.  Emphatically,  too,  may 
we  affirm,  that  this  scripture  is  to  be  searched,  because  it 
testifies  of  Christ. 

Take  the  first  period,  and  it  is  surely  Christ  that  we  see 
in  the  child  born  and  plotted  against  in  his  infancy,  but 
rescued  from  the  death  in  which  other  Hebrew  children 
were  involved ;  Christ  in  the  man  who  endured  affliction 
for  His  brethren,  and  delivered  them  with  an  outstretched 
arm;  and  Christ  in  the  Lamb  slain  to  redeem  a  people 
from  death — "  Christ  our  passover  sacrificed  for  us." 

Take  the  second  period,  and  the  leader  who  guides  his 
people  through  a  baptism  into  death,  into  the  power  of 
resurrection,  is,  under  a  figure,  Christ.  The  bread  from 
heaven  is  Christ ;  the  rock  from  which  the  water  gushed 
is  Christ ;  and  the  captain  who  drove  back  the  Amalekites 
is  Christ,  the  captain  of  our  salvation. 

Take  the  third  period,  and  learn  that  we  are  under  law 


EXODUS.  35 

to  Christ;  we  have  a  Mediator  in  Christ,  we  have  our 
High  Priest  iu  Christ,  and  our  way  into  the  Holiest  open 
through  the  rent  vail,  i.e.,  His  flesh.  If  we  are  Christ's, 
we  too  are  pilgrims  through  a  land  of  drought ;  and  the 
history  of  Israel  in  Exodus,  while  it  stirs  within  us  great 
searchings  of  heart,  gives  us  at  the  same  time  sweet  conso- 
lation in  Christ.  "0  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord  who 
brought  out  Israel  from  Egypt  with  a  strong  hand  and  a 
stretched-out  arm,  to  Him  who  led  His  people  through  the 
wilderness,  for  His  mercy  endureth  for  ever." 


LEVITICUS. 

In  Hebrew,  this  book  has  no  other  title  than  its  first  word, 
Vayihra  (and  he  called).  In  Rabbinical  writings,  it  is 
termed  "  the  law  of  the  priests,"  and  "  the  law-book  of  the 
offerings."  The  Seventy  named  it  Leviticus,  because  it 
treats  of  the  service  conducted  by  the  priests  and  others  of 
the  tribe  of  Levi.  It  is  found  to  consist  almost  entirely  of 
the  direct  words  of  Jehovah,  and  on  this  account  is  entitled 
to  peculiar  attention  and  respect.  Its  object  is  to  teach 
the  way  of  acceptable  worship,  and  the  hallowing  of  ac- 
cepted worshippers  for  fellowship  with  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel.  Although  it  is  full  of  details  respecting  a  cere- 
monial which  is  no  more  of  force  or  obligation,  yet  it  is  by 
no  means  a  superseded  or  antiquated  book.  On  the  con- 
trary, there  is  hardly  a  book  of  the  Bible  more  deeply 
fraught  with  instruction  and  comfort  to  the  Christian 
mind.  When  it  is  read  in  the  light  of  the  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews,  Leviticus  unfolds  to  us  the  most  vital  truths  re- 
garding the  way  of  access  to  God,  forgiveness  of  sins,  re- 
conciliation, fellowship,  and  consecration. 

When  the  Lord  gave  the  law,  as  recorded  in  Exodus,  He 
was  in  the  Mount  Sinai ;  but  when  He  issued  the  ordi- 
nances of  service  written  in  this  book,  He  did  so  "  out  of 


LEVITICUS.  37 

the  tabernacle  of  the  con  cremation,"  beneath  the  dreadful 
mount.  We  hear,  in  Leviticus,  not  the  Lawgiver  speaking 
in  awful  tones,  or  writing  on  tablets  of  stone,  but  the 
Portion  of  Israel,  dwelling  in  the  midst  of  His  people,  and 
teaching  them  how  they  might  draw  near  to  His  presence 
and  abide  in  communion  with  Him. 

The  book  easily  arranges  itself  in  two  parts, — the  first 
comprising  16  chapters,  treating  of  access  to  God;  the 
second,  of  11  chapters,  of  the  hallowing  of  Israel,  in  order 
to  live  and  walk  as  His  people.  We  wish,  however,  to  go 
a  little  more  into  detail,  and  point  ont  five  chief  matters. 

I.  Sacrifices  and  Offerings. — God  must  be  worshipped 
according  to  His  own  mind, — not  ours.  He  has  taught  us 
that  worship  rendered  to  Him  by  sinful  men  cannot  be 
acceptable  unless  it  is  based  on  atoning  sacrifice,  and  no- 
where have  we  such  rich  and  ample  teaching  of  the 
doctrine  of  sacrifice  as  in  the  seven  chapters  with  which 
Leviticus  opens,  and  the  lGth  chapter  of  the  same  book. 

The  sacrifices  are  of  five  kinds,  described  in  the  following 
order:  — The  Burnt-Offering,  The  Bread-Offering,  The 
Peace-Offeriug,  The  Sin-Offering,  and  The  Trespass-Offer- 
ing. Such  is  the  divine  order  of  thought,  but  the  human 
is  exactly  the  reverse.  An  Israelite,  with  a  guilty  con- 
science, and  a  remembrance  of  sins,  had  practically  to 
begin  at  the  end  of  the  series ;  and  we  ourselves,  in  look- 
ing to  the  one  sacrifice  of  Christ,  have  also  to  begin  at  that 
view  of  it  which  is  at  the  end  of  this  series — the  end  next 
us.  We  must  begin  at  the  trespass -offering  and  end  with 
the  whole  burnt-offering, — begin  with  the  remission  of 
trespasses  and  sins,  and  advance  to  the  offering  of  an  entire 


SFNOPTICAI  LECTURES. 

■  ■—       the  wl  ixng  on  the  :" 

- 
bo  ns  -  -  - 

in   a  few 

5 

1.  I  ;  was  the  type 

DnnselJ  I  -     I  I  [       Ea     litewl  agh.1 

this  g  did  s  -  Etwas 

-  _  n  -      I         m!  cordial  devotion  to  G    I      Dm 

seal  ".    ■     s  3d   to  be  a  male 

then  ti  ..'.-".:   kSh  '.   it    before    the 

L:r:  n     nrnre  his  own  life,  for  ti 

"     tifi     nd  the  life  is  in  the  blood      Some   of  the 
U  s  by  the  priest  s]  art  a]  m 

the  whole  cai     - .    was  sol  in] -   <  as 

.  .".  ;   v.::. 
[Unastis  t]  FBBs  il    — 01     for  no 

]         - .    ".:  His  1::.  :.   :..  Him   "  m  He  laid  it  <3 
sent     Chi  _  I     — I     "      Cl  hlffmigfi   wit 

5j    :      An  IC  .  --   whi   jffici  tes  in  pies  auV 

_  _      11.      ...  rail    3    I  Eoi  i  swi  .:- 

ling    savour.     H  pic     I    Uhrist  are  to  : 

Him      1  a  ]  gs,  bat  they  do  lay 

-       ..   .  3  on    tfa      ttar  whenever  they  yield  them- 
selves i  _  nd  in  the     une  of 
l  the  zeal  that  is  ]  tar  by  the  £1        I 

z  in  their 
~_\  rds      Fa:i:      -  11.  In:  as  Tl: 

_     I_. .   "  .  -  _   ■     s  not  fa 

:":!:::      I:  '     -  : :::  ;  1  by  itseli 

bat  followed       trnt-d _.-.  . .   _       _-.: .-      I:  ie::e- 


Lrr:i: 

'he  layir.:-  humane 

soul 
cour 

3.  The]         -  _  . 
ship,  harmony,  and  communion 

the  burnt-  th  imposition  of  hand  head 

of  a  Tictim,  ar.  Be  t: 

differed  Be.     The 
fire;  the 

I  .     .     .   - 
There  was  a  fie  I  upon,  the  sacrifice — a  feast  of 

friendship  .; 

here  :  f  His  cross— -Him- 

landman, 

4.  1  -  .       ]  :_e;e  7:  :t  ::    it. : 

— 

did  no  a  Self  1      

I  a  body  on  the  1 

:    :  the  blood 
'.  11    ■  '     "  --       • 

be  camp,  was  the  type    :  khel  ^ring 

:  .  t  the  gate 

5.  The!  -  2      !  1st]        i  ::'-:.;-.. 

wrong  or  evil,  which  may  be  estimated-     In  tie  c 
tzespass      against  then 

.  .  "' 
are  als  L 


40  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

tion  was  required  first,  then  sacrifice.  Evidently  we  are  to 
see  in  the  trespass-offering,  redemption  and  ransom  by  the 
precious  blood  of  Christ. 

Thus  He  is  all.  The  Burnt- Offering  is  His  entire  dedi- 
cation, the  Meat- Offering  His  living  service,  the  Peace- 
offering  His  becoming  our  Peace  and  the  Feast  of  our  affec- 
tions with  God,  the  Sin-Offering  His  propitiation  for  our 
sins,  and  the  Trespass-Offering  His  discharging  our  debt, 
repairing  our  wrong,  and  redeeming  our  lives  to  God. 

The  sixteenth  chapter  is  one  of  great  weight  and  solem- 
nity. It  describes  the  Day  of  Atonement,  and,  by  means 
of  a  double  sacrifice,  expresses  the  two  blessings  of  propi- 
tiation for  sin,  and  removal  of  sin.  On  that  day  only  in 
all  the  year,  the  high  priest  entered  the  most  holy  place. 

These  were  shadows  of  heavenly  things.  We  have  under 
the  Gospel  the  heavenly  things  themselves, — not  a  con- 
tinual remembrance  of  sins,  but  a  putting-away  of  sins 
for  ever,  the  way  into  the  holiest  made  manifest  to  the 
Church,  and  our  great  High  Priest  over  the  house  of  God, 
the  continual  encouragement  to  draw  near. 

All  Israel  stood  without,  while  Aaron  was  in  the  holiest. 
Xow  that  our  great  High  Priest  is  in  the  holiest  of  all, 
Israel,  alas !  stands  without,  unbelieving  until  this  day. 
There  is  a  vail  upon  their  hearts ;  but  when  the  High 
Priest  comes  out,  they  will  see  Him  and  rejoice. 

II.  Consecration  and  Investiture  of  Priests. — Aaron 
and  his  sons  were  bathed  in  water,  anointed  with  oil, 
attired  in  significant  garments  of  office,  and  installed  in 
their  places,  as  the  priests  of  the  priestly  nation.  We  have 
one  High  Priest  who  is  passed  into  the  heavens,  sanctified 


Leviticus.  4i 

for  onr  sakes,  High  Priest  of  the  priestly  people,  which  is 
the  Church.  Consider  Moses  and  Aaron.  Consider  the 
Apostle  and  High  Priest  of  our  profession — Christ  Jesus, 
who  is  faithful  to  Him  who  appointed  Him. 

Scarcely  had  the  priests  been  consecrated  in  Israel, 
before  there  was  an  exposure  of  the  perversity  of  man, 
which  mars  and  stains  the  brightest  prospects.  Presump- 
tion appeared  in  the  family  of  Aaron,  and  judgment  began 
at  the  tabernacle  of  God.  Two  sons  of  the  high  priest 
entered  the  sanctuary  in  self-confidence,  and  offered  in- 
cense, with  "  strange  "  or  unhallowed  fire,  as  though  inde- 
pendent of  the  altar  whereon  the  fire  of  God  burned.  Thus 
they  approached  God  after  the  device  of  their  own  hearts, 
neglecting  or  despising  the  ordinances  of  sacrifice.  There- 
fore sudden  death  fell  on  them,  as  afterwards  on  Uzzah  the 
Levite,  and  later  still,  Ananias  and  Sapphira,  to  check  at 
once,  by  solemn  warnings,  the  sin  of  presumption  and  self- 
will. 

III.  Discernment  between  things  Holy  and  Pec- 
fane,  and  the  Judgment  of  Defilements.  —  Holiness 
follows  on  acceptance  by  sacrifice,  and  priesthood  is  not 
only  for  prayer  and  service,  but  in  order  to  the  discrimina- 
tion of  the  pure  from  the  impure. 

In  accordance  with  the  character  of  a  dispensation 
which  put  moral  and  spiritual  ideas  into  visible  and  mate- 
rial forms,  the  distinction  between  the  clean  and  the 
unclean  was  marked  in  the  creatures  used  for  food  as  well 
as  for  sacrifice.  All  the  living  creatures  around  were 
made  to  suggest  moral  conceptions  to  an  Israelite,  and  it 
was  arranged  that  the  very  question,  "  What  to  eat,  and 


42  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

what  to  drink?"  should  act  as  a  bit  and  bridle  on  his 
will 

Then,  after  directions  for  purifying,  which  we  find 
referred  to  in  the  Gospel,  and  obeyed  by  the  blessed  Virgin 
Mary,  we  have  minute  details  regarding  health  and  clean- 
liness. Leprosy  had  doubtless  been  engendered  in  Egypt 
during  the  degradation  of  the  bondage,  and  adhered  to  the 
Israelites  still.  It  is  referred  to  as  affecting  (1)  a  human 
body,  (2)  human  raiment,  (3)  human  dwellings.  Most 
explicit  directions  are  given  for  its  detection  and  Divine 
cure.  So  does  the  vileness  of  sin  work  in  the  inner  man, 
then  affect  the  garments,  or  usages  of  the  outer  man  also  ; 
nay,  further,  it  taints  the  house  and  defiles  the  domestic 
and  social  relations  of  life.  For  this  there  is  no  cure  but 
that  which  the  Son  of  God  applies — "  Lord,  if  Thou  wilt, 
Thou  canst  make  us  clean." 

IV.  Laws  of  Bighteousness  and  Holiness  of  Life. — 
God  would  always  have  it  understood  that  to  obey  is 
better  than  sacrifice,  and  to  hearken  better  than  the  fat  of 
rams.  He  required  His  redeemed  and  worshipping  people 
to  be  holy ;  for  He,  their  God,  was  holy.  He  could  not 
walk  with  them,  nor  they  with  Him,  but  in  the  light  of 
truth  and  purity. 

In  the  part  of  the  book  which  we  have  now  reached, 
there  are  exhortations  and  requirements  which  Christians 
need  as  much  as  Israelites  to  read  and  observe.  They 
relate  to  probity,  veracity,  justice  between  man  and  man, 
avoidance  of  tale-bearing,  impartiality  in  judgment,  honesty 
in  dealings,  respect  of  aged  persons,  neighbourly  and 
brotherly  kindness,  courtesy  to  all.   Some  call  this  "  mere  " 


LEVITICUS.  43 

morality,  or  "  cold  "  morality,  but  there  is  no  need  that  it 
should  be  "mere"  or  "cold;"  let  it  accompany  faith,  and 
let  it  be  warmed  by  love,  and  you  have  a  Christian  morality 
that  pervades  all  life,  and  ennobles  character,  and  com- 
mends the  Gospel  we  profess  to  the  consciences  of  all  men 
in  the  sisrlit  of  God. 

V.  Feasts,  or  Holy  Convocations. — Under  the  Mosaic 
economy,  men  were  required  to  observe  clays,  and  months, 
and  years,  for  God  Himself  marked  the  times  and  seasons 
with  a  view  to  religious  commemoration,  instruction,  and 
edification.  There  were  six  feasts  of  days  and  months, 
two  feasts  of  years, — eight  in  all. 

1.  The  Sabbath. — This  weekly  rest  held  a  chief  place  as 
a  sign  between  Jehovah  and  Israel.  It  entered  also  into 
the  great  annual  festivals,  each  of  them  being  made  to 
contain  a  Sabbath  of  special  solemnity.  So  also  there 
must  enter  into  all  Christian  feasts  or  joys  Sabbatism, — 
resting  in  the  Lord,  and  waiting  patiently  for  Him. 

2.  The  Passover,  or  Feast  of  Unleavened  Bread. — Being 
the  commemorative  feast  of  redemption,  this  was  placed 
first  of  the  annual  convocations,  because  all  the  joy  in  the 
Lord  possessed  by  the  Hebrews  sprung  from  their  redemp- 
tion, and  belonged  to  them  as  a  people  redeemed. 

3.  The  Feast  of  Weeks,  or  Pentecost. — This  was  the 
harvest-home,  on  which  two  loaves  of  fine  flour,  ground 
from  the  new  corn,  and  baked  as  common  bread,  were 
waved  before  the  Lord.  To  Him  was  thus  ascribed  the 
whole  staff  of  bread  in  the  families  of  the  nation ;  and 
burnt-offerings,  peace-offerings,  and  sin-offerings,  were  at 
the  same  time  presented,  in  acknowledgment  of  the  un- 


li  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

worthiness  of  the  people  to  reap  any  good  at  the  hand  of 
the  Lord,  and  in  propitiation  of  His  favour  and  forgive- 
ness. 

4.  The  Feast  of  Trumpets. — The  months  in  Israel  were 
lunar,  and  the  new  moons  were  days  of  special  mark ;  but 
it  was  reserved  for  the  new  moon,  or  first  day  of  the 
seventh  month,  as  the  chief  sacred  month  of  the  year,  to 
be  elevated  to  the  rank  of  a  feast  to  the  Lord.  On  every 
new  moon,  trumpets  were  blown.  On  the  seventh,  they 
appear  to  have  been  sounded  with  unusual  force  and 
emphasis,  calling  to  mind  the  blast  of  a  trumpet  and  the 
voice  of  words  on  Mount  Sinai,  arresting  the  ear  of  all 
Israel  as  by  a  Divine  summons,  and  stirring  up  every  soul 
to  attend  to  the  two  solemnities  which  made  the  seventh 
month  the  most  momentous  period  of  the  Jewish  year. 

5.  The  Bay  of  Atonement. — This  was  always  the  tenth 
day  of  the  seventh  month.  It  was  not,  however,  a  festal 
occasion,  but  a  day  in  which  the  children  of  Israel  "  should 
afflict  their  souls."  All  their  sins  came  up  in  remembrance, 
and  it  became  them  to  put  aside  all  levity  of  spirit,  and 
with  fasting,  and  sorrow,  and  searchings  of  heart,  to  spend 
those  hours  in  which  the  high  priest  performed  in  their 
behalf  the  highest  rites  of  typical  atonement. 

6.  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  or  Booths. — Five  days  after  the 
great  Sabbath  of  atonement  this  festival  began,  and  it 
lasted  for  eight  days.  It  is  sometimes  called  the  feast  of 
in-gathering,  because  it  took  place  after  the  vintage,  when 
the  round  of  the  year's  husbandry  was  complete.  Israel 
tented  out  for  a  week  in  booths  made  of  leafy  branches,  or 
in  structure's  of  some  light,  perishable  material,  in  memory 
of  their  sojourn  in  the  wilderness.     This  feast  was  thus  a 


LEVITICUS.  45 

yearly  renewal  of  their  youth,  a  lively  recollection  of  the 
time  of  their  espousals  to  Jehovah. 

Such  were  the  six  feasts  of  days  and  months.  Remem- 
ber the  order  of  the  three  which  were  chief, — Passover, 
Pentecost,  Palm-branches  and  Booths.  These  concern  us 
also.  Christ  at  the  Passover ;  the  Spirit  at  Pentecost ;  the 
Feast  before  the  throne,  kept  by  the  redeemed  of  all  nations 
with  palm  branches,  making  booths,  not  with  Peter,  and 
James,  and  John  only,  or  even  with  Moses  and  Elias,  but 
with  the  Lamb  on  the  heavenly  mount. 

7.  The  Sabbatic  Year. — When  Israel  should  get  posses- 
sion of  Canaan,  they  were  to  leave  the  land  untilled  every 
seventh  year.  It  was  a  Sabbath  of  the  land,  its  rest  unto 
Jehovah.  This  was  for  the  sake  of  the  land  itself,  to  pre- 
serve its  fertility,  the  Israelites  being  only  tenants  of  the 
soil  under  God,  the  Supreme  Proprietor.  This  was  also 
for  the  good  of  Israel,  to  check  covetousness,  to  limit 
domestic  bondage,  and  to  remind  the  people  that  they  were 
only  God's  tenants-at-will,  dependent  on  His  good  plea- 
sure. This  law  was  not  well  kept,  and  its  non-observance 
is  given  as  one  of  the  reasons  for  Israel's  subsequent  cap- 
tivity in  Babylon  :  "  To  fulfil  the  word  of  the  Lord,  by  the 
mouth  of  Jeremiah,  until  the  land  had  enjoyed  her 
sabbaths ;  for  as  long  as  she  lay  desolate,  she  kept 
sabbath  to  fulfil  three-score  and  ten  years."  * 

8.  The  Jubilee  (Jobcl). — This  was  the  fiftieth  year,  as 
Pentecost  was  the  fiftieth  day.  At  the  close  of  the  day  of 
atonement,  on  which  all  Israel  afflicted  their  souls,  the 
trumpet  was  to  sound  through  all  the  land,  the  oil  of  joy 
was  given  for  mourning,  and  the  garment  of  praise  for  the 

*  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  21. 


46  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

spirit  of  heaviness.  Sweeter  tLan  ever  sounded  a  cathedral 
bell,  or  cry  of  the  muezzin  from  a  minaret,  fell  on  the  ears 
of  the  Israelites  the  notes  of  jubilee  trumpets.  Most  wel- 
come of  all  to  the  poor  of  the  land,  for  redemption  was 
drawing  nigh.  The  law  of  jubilee  maintained  the  original 
distribution  of  the  land  of  Canaan,  restored  forfeited 
inheritances,  and  emancipated  captives  and  slaves.  The 
whole  tendency  of  the  admirable  legislation  in  regard  to 
the  land  of  Israel  was  to  secure  a  diffusion  of  property  and 
personal  liberty  among  the  masses  of  the  people,  and  so  to 
promote  contentment  and  self-respect,  under  the  all-pro- 
tecting shadow  of  Jehovah's  wings. 

This  festival,  too,  is  full  of  Christ.  The  Gospel  is  now 
the  joyful  sound.  Christ  Himself  blew  the  first  notes  of 
the  jubilee  trumpet,  when  He  proclaimed  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  to  be  at  hand.  Apostles  and  evangelists 
prolonged  the  sound  through  many  lands  and  wondering 
cities  of  the  East ;  and  now  to  us  is  this  salvation  come. 
In  the  name  of  Christ  is  preached,  as  through  jubilee 
trumpets,  forgiveness  of  sins,  rest  for  the  weary,  liberty  to 
the  captives,  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord. 

With  some  details  regarding  vows  and  tithes,  the  Book 
of  Leviticus  ends, — surely  a  book  to  be  deeply  pondered, 
as  exhibiting  much  Christian  doctrine  in  an  antique 
drapery,  and  full  of  spiritual  meat  for  those  who  can 
discern  and  enjoy  the  great  truths  of  Gospel  salvation  and 
Gospel  worship,  that  underlie  the  Hebrew  ceremonial.  We 
are  not  come  to  Mount  Sinai,  but  if  we  study  the  ordinances 
given  to  those  who  came  to  that  mount,  we  may  learn  what 
are  the  better  things  given  to  us  who  are  come  to  Mount 
Zion.     "For  Christ  is  not  entered  into  the  holy  places 


LEVITICUS.  47 

made  with  hands,  which  are  the  figures  of  the  true;  but  into 
heaven  itself,  now  to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us : 
nor  yet  that  he  should  offer  himself  often,  as  the  high 
priest  entereth  into  the  holy  place  every  year  with  blood  of 
others;  .  .  .  but  now  once  in  the  end  of  the  world  hath 
He  appeared  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself."* 

*  Heb.  ix.  24-26. 


NUMBEES. 

The  fourtli  book  takes  its  name  from  the  numbering  of  the 
people  of  Israel,  twice  recorded  in  its  pages.  It  is,  how- 
ever, far  more  than  a  national  register.  As  Leviticus  is 
the  book  of  worship,  and  separation  to  God,  Numbers  is 
the  book  of  service  and  pilgrimage.  It  shows  us  the  way 
in  the  wilderness,  and  the  discipline  through  which  pil- 
grims pass. 

The  time  covered  by  this  book  is  a  little  more  than 
thirty-eight  years;  but  the  narrative  is  occupied  almost 
entirely  with  the  beginning  and  close  of  the  period.  Mat- 
thew Henry  says  pithily,  "  An  abstract  of  much  of  this 
book  we  have  in  a  few  words  (Ps.  xcv.  10),  '  Forty  years 
long  was  I  grieved  with  this  generation,'  and  an  applica- 
tion of  it  to  ourselves  (Heb.  iv.  1),  '  Let  us  fear  lest  we  seem 
to  come  short.'  Many  considerable  nations  there  were 
now  in  being  that  dwelt  in  cities  and  fortified  towns,  of 
which  no  notice  is  taken,  no  account  kept  by  the  sacred 
history ;  but  very  exact  records  are  kept  of  the  affairs  of  a 
people  that  dwelt  in  tents,  and  wandered  strangely  in  a 
wilderness,  because  they  were  the  children  of  the  covenant. 
'  For  the  Lord's  portion  is  His  people,  Jacob  is  the  lot  of 
His  inheritance.' " 


NUMBERS.  49 

The  Book  of  lumbers  may  be  divided  into  three 
parts — 

Chap.  i.-x.  10. — Preparation  for  leaving  the  encamp 
ment  at  Sinai. 

Chap.  x.  11-xxi. — History  of  the  jonrney  from  Sinai  to 
the  land  of  Moab,  including  the  murmuring  and  the  long 
detention  in  the  deserts  of  Arabia. 

Chap,  xxii.-xxxiv. — Occurrences  in  Moab,  and  prepara- 
tions for  entering  and  occupying  the  promised  land. 

I.  First  Part. — The  tribes  of  Israel  were  mustered, 
instructed,  and  set  in  order.  The  males  of  twenty 
years  and  upwards,  were  found  to  be  603,550.  If  to 
these,  we  add  the  22,000  Levites  of  the  same  age,  we  can- 
not compute  the  Hebrew  nation  at  less  than  2,000,000. 
To  such  a  host  had  multiplied  the  descendants  of 
the  twelve  sons  of  Jacob,  and  their  servants  and  fol- 
lowers, with  the  addition  of  Egyptians  and  others  who 
adhered  to  Israel  in  the  exodus.  If  any  find  it  hard  to 
be  believed,  that  two  millions  of  people  could  be  pro- 
jected into  Arabia  and  live  there  with  flocks  and  herds  for 
forty  years,  let  them  bear  in  mind  that  the  great  peninsula 
was  not  at  all  so  waste  or  barren  in  ancient  times,  as  it  is 
now.  It  had  dreary  places,  or  lands  of  drought,  where 
water  failed ;  but  there  is  reason  to  think,  that  it  also  had 
many  towns  and  far-reaching  grassy  plains,  and  supported 
a  large  population  both  of  fixed  and  wandering  tribes* 

The  census  was  followed  by  organisation  of  the  Lord's 
host.  Four  divisions  were  formed,  each  consisting  of  three 
tribes.  Every  man  was  to  dwell  in  his  own  tribe,  and 
every  tribe  to  know  and  keep  its  proper  place  in  the 

*  The  reader  is  referred  to  the  recent  explorations  of  Mr.  Tristram  and 
Mr.  Holland.  D 


50  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

division,  whether  in  rest,  or  on  the  march.  When  the 
host  moved,  each  tribe  struck  its  tents,  raised  its  banner, 
and  fell  in  at  its  appointed  station.  Places  were  assigned 
to  the  sacred  ark,  and  the  parts  and  furniture  of  the 
tabernacle,  borne  by  the  Levites.  The  descendants  of 
Joseph,  constituting  the  three  tribes  of  Ephraim,  Benjamin, 
and  Manasseh,  formed  the  division  that  followed  the  ark. 
Hence  the  prayer  in  Ps.  lxxx.  1,2,"  Give  ear,  0  Shepherd 
of  Israel,  thou  that  leadest  Joseph  like  a  flock ;  thou  that 
dwellest  between  the  cherubims,  shine  forth.  Before 
Ephraim  and  Benjamin  and  Manasseh  stir  up  thy  strength, 
and  come  and  save  us."  When  the  tents  were  pitched,  the 
Lord's  Tent  was  in  the  midst,  and  the  tribes  formed  a 
square — three  to  the  north,  three  to  the  south,  three  to 
the  east,  three  to  the  west.  The  division  headed  by  Judah 
had  for  its  standard  the  figure  of  a  lion ;  that  which  was 
headed  by  Ephraim,  the  figure  of  an  ox.  If  the  tradition 
be  correct,  that  Beuben  had  that  of  a  man,  and  Dan  that 
of  an  eagle,  we  have  in  this  arrangement  a  remarkable  an- 
ticipation of  the  vision  of  the  cherubim  in  Ezekiel,  and 
yet  more  clearly  of  that  in  the  Apocalypse,  where  the  four 
living  creatures  in  attendance  on  the  throne  of  God  appear 
as  a  lion,  an  ox,  a  man,  and  a  flying  eagle.  Moreover,  the 
camp  of  Israel,  arranged  and  organised  as  a  perfect  square, 
not  only  shows  us,  that  the  Lord  numbers  and  writes  up 
His  people,  and  that  He  is  the  Author  of  order  and  not 
confusion  in  Churches  of  the  saints,  but  also  foreshadows 
the  realisation  of  the  completed  Church  at  the  last  day — 
the  great  city,  holy  Jerusalem,  "  which  lieth  four-square, 
and  the  length  is  as  large  as  the  breadth."  The  gates  of 
the  city  shall  be  three  to  the  east,  three  to  the  north,  three 


NUMBERS.  51 

to  the  south,  and  three  to  the  west,  and  on  those  gates  are 
the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel. 

The  Levites  were  set  apart  for  service,  and  were  given 
over  to  Aaron  the  high  priest  as  their  commander.  Let  us 
learn,  that  the  service  of  all  saints  is  accepted  only  in 
union  with  the  high-priestly  action  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
that  they  are  not  their  own  masters,  but  set  apart  and 
given  over  to  Christ,  as  "  the  Minister  of  the  Sanctuary 
and  True  Tabernacle,  which  the  Lord  pitched,  and  not 
man." 

The  organisation  being  complete,  the  tribes  in  their 
positions,  and  the  Levites  at  their  post,  laws  were  given  to 
keep  all  within  the  precincts  of  the  camp  clean  and  holy 
ground.  Strict  sanitary  regulations  were  laid  down  and 
enforced  for  the  compulsory  removal  of  defilements — an 
admirable  precedent  for  modern  municipal  governments,  as 
well  as  military  commanders,  to  follow.  These  regulations 
were  fitted  to  impress  upon  Israel  that  God  is  of  purer 
eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity  —  that  He  is  not  as  the 
vile  gods  of  the  heathen,  whose  rites  of  service  were  often 
shameful  orgies,  but  is  a  lover  of  health,  and  brightness, 
and  purity.  On  us  too  is  the  lesson  enforced,  that  the 
precious  must  be  separated  from  the  vile — that  the  wil- 
fully unholy  and  unclean  ought  to  be  excluded  from 
church-fellowship  on  earth,  and  will  certainly  be  shut  out 
of  the  continuing  city  which  is  to  come,  the  city  of  God 
Almighty  and  the  Lamb. 

The  sixth  chapter  contains  the  law  of  the  Xazarites, 
recognising  devotees,  or  persons  of  more  than  ordinary 
allegiance  and  consecration  to  God.  In  its  ethical  and 
spiritual  meaning,  this  law  suggests  the  need  of  abstinence 


yl  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

from  fleshly  lusts  and  dangerous  delights,  and  the  mainte- 
nance of  full  moral  energy,  and  separation  from  the  body 
of  death.  The  sanction  given  to  the  Xazarite  vow  en- 
courages no  vows  of  celibacy,  which  were  unknown  to 
priest,  Levite,  or  Nazarite,  nor  arbitrary  rules  sequestering 
men  or  women  from  the  proper  duties  of  family  and  social 
life,  but  a  lofty  aim  in  sanctification,  and  a  vow  or  pledge, 
under  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  be  in  heart  and 
conduct  wholly  separated  to  Christ. 

So  soon  as  the  camp  was  ordered  and  cleansed,  and  the 
servants  of  God  were  in  their  several  places,  His  seal  was 
put  on  the  whole  congregation  by  the  high  priest  and  his 
sons  pronouncing  this  blessing  of  Jehovah — "The  Lord 
bless  thee  and  keep  thee :  the  Lord  make  his  face  shine 
upon  thee,  and  be  gracious  unto  thee :  the  Lord  lift  up  his 
countenance  upon  thee,  and  give  thee  peace."* 

Immediately  after  this,  the  organisation  which  had  been 
established  brought  tribute  to  the  tabernacle.  On  twelve 
successive  days  the  princes  of  the  tribes,  in  their  appointed 
order,  presented  gifts.  The  previous  offering  mentioned  in 
Exodus  was  from  the  people  indiscriminately  as  children 
of  Israel; — this  is  the  tribute  from  the  organisation  of 
Israel,  brought  in  regular  proportions,  from  east,  and  west, 
and  south,  and  north ; — as  hereafter  shall  be  brought  the 
riches  of  the  Gentiles,  the  glory  and  honour  of  nations,  to 
the  gates  of  the  Holy  Jerusalem. 

Then  the  lamp-stand  was  lit  up  in  the  holy  place.  God 
said,  Let  there  be  light — light  on  the  table  of  shew-bread, 
and  on  the  altar  of  incense.  In  the  day  time,  the  entrance- 
curtain  being  drawn  up,  the  sunlight  filled  the  tabernacle. 

*  Num.  vi.  24-26. 


NUMBERS.  53 

At  even  the  lamps  were  lit,  that  there  might  never  he 
darkness  at  all, .  not  even  a  "  dim  religions  light,"  hut  a 
clear  and  perpetual  shining  in  the  holy  place,  the  sphere 
of  privilege  and  sacred  service.  So,  if  we  serve,  it  must 
be  not  in  darkness,  not  even  in  the  vagueness  of  doubt 
and  gloom,  but  in  the  light  of  scriptural  knowledge  and 
spiritual  discernment.  If  we  pray,  no  doubt  it  is  better  to 
pray  in  the  dark  than  not  pray  at  all.  It  is  something  to 
wail  and  cry  ever  so  blindly  and  confusedly  after  Him,  to 
fall  with 

Weight  of  cares 
Upon  the  world's  great  altar  stairs, 
That  slope  through  darkness  up  to  Gad. 

But  not  such  is  the  proper  worship  of  Israel  or  of  the 
Church.  It  is  prayer  in  the  light  of  Divine  knowledge  and 
favour,  prayer  in  the  illuminating  Spirit  to  the  Father  of 
lights,  from  whom  comes  down  every  good  and  perfect  gift. 

There  were  no  lamps  in  the  Holy  of  Holies.  They  could 
not  be  needed  there,  for  God  dwelt  there,  and  He  is  a  Light 
unto  Himself.  Where  the  God  of  glory  shines,  there  is  no 
need  of  candle,  nor  of  the  light  of  the  sun. 

All  things  now  being  ready  for  an  advance,  the  direction 
of  the  march  was  to  be  given  by  the  cloud  of  God's  pre- 
sence, and  the  blast  of  silver  trumpets  by  the  sons  of 
Aaron;  the  first  the  signal  to  the  eye,  the  second  the 
signal  to  the  ear.-  "  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  ark 
set  forward,  that  Moses  said,  Pdse  up,  Lord,  and  let  thine 
enemies  be  scattered;  and  let  them  that  hate  thee  flee 
before  thee.  And  when  it  rested,  he  said,  Return,  0  Lord, 
unto  the  many  thousands  of  Israel."  * 

*  Num.  ::.  35,  36. 


54  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

II.  Second  Paet. — "The  children  of  Israel  took  their 
journeys  out  of  the  wilderness  of  Sinai."  One  can  imagine 
a  flush  of  joy  on  the  meek  countenance  of  Moses,  as  he 
saw  the  tribes  whom  he  had  brought  out  of  Egypt  a 
confused  multitude  of  slaves,  now  strike  their  tents  and 
advance  as  an  organised  host,  a  nation  in  martial  array, 
almost  in  triumphal  procession,  toward  their  inheritance. 
The  leader  persuaded  his  brother-in-law  to  accompany  the 
march,  for  he  was  a  Midianite,  and  well  fitted,  by  his  judg- 
ment and  personal  knowledge  of  the  country,  to  be  to 
Israel  "  instead  of  eyes."  Moses  had  the  divine  signal  of 
the  moving  pillar  and  cloud  of  fire,  but  he  would  not,  on 
that  account,  neglect  any  subordinate  aids  that  were  avail- 
able. An  important  lesson  is  here  for  our  guidance,  both 
in  private  and  public  life,  to  ask  divine  direction,  and 
watch  for  it,  but  not  to  suppose  that  supernatural  inti- 
mations will  be  so  given  as  to  supersede  the  use  of  the 
best  natural  advantages  of  observation  and  experience 
that  we  possess  in  ourselves,  or  can  obtain  from  others. 

Alas  !  the  people  had  scarcely  begun  their  march,  before 
a  dark  shade  fell  on  their  history.  After  three  days' 
journey  they  complained,  and,  like  all  people  of  a  low 
development,  they  were  anxious  about  nothing  but  what 
they  should  eat  and  drink.  Forgetting  the  task-masters 
in  Egypt,  they  sighed  for  "  the  fish,  the  cucumbers,  and 
the  melons,  and  the  leeks,  and  the  onions,  and  the  garlic." 
Moses  heard  this,  and  went  to  the  Lord,  not  to  the  people, 
for  he  was  incensed  and  weary  at  heart  with  the  terrible 
disappointment  which  must  fall  on  a  great  spirit,  when  he 
sees  how  unworthy  and  ignoble  they  are  for  whom  he  has 
prayed  and  toiled. 


NUMBERS.  65 

Other  troubles  came  upon  him.  Envy  began  to  rankle 
in  the  hearts  of  his  own  sister  and  elder  brother.  A  very 
cruel  wound  it  was,  that  they  should  speak  against  him ; 
but  Moses  bore  it  quietly,  and  the  Lord  vindicated  the 
authority  of  His  servant,  because  he  held  his  peace. 

When  the  people  reached  Kaclesh  Barnea,  they  proposed 
to  Moses  that  scouts  should  be  sent  forward  to  explore  the 
land  of  Canaan.  He  consented,  and  twelve  spies  were 
chosen  and  sent — one  from  each  tribe.  On  their  return, 
after  forty  days,  ten  of  the  scouting  party  reported  in  a 
craven  spirit,  and  exaggerated  the  difficulties  of  the  inva- 
sion. Two  only — Caleb  and  Joshua — lifted  a  brave  pro- 
test, and  encouraged  Israel  to  advance.  The  whole  con- 
gregation were  seized  with  fear,  and  murmured  acrainst 
God,  who,  in  consequence,  sentenced  them  to  wander  in 
the  deserts  of  Arabia  for  forty  years, — a  year  for  each  day 
occupied  in  spying  out  the  land.  Against  this  sentence 
they  rebelled ;  and,  having  been  afraid  when  they  should 
have  been  bold,  they  were  now  bold  when  they  should 
have  been  afraid.  Disregarding  the  command  of  Moses, 
they  attacked  the  Amalekites,  and  suffered  a  severe  defeat, 
learning  to  their  cost,  and  showing  to  us,  that  the  bravery 
of  presumption  is  just  as  fatal  as  the  cowardice  of  unbelief. 

So  the  tribes  were  obliged  to  turn  back  from  the  borders 
of  the  land  of  promise.  They  could  not  enter  in,  because 
of  unbelief.  Then  followed  a  melancholy  time.  A  strong 
conspiracy  was  formed  against  Moses  and  Aaron.  The 
ruling  spirit  was  Korah,  a  Levite,  and  apparently  a  rela- 
tive of  the  leader  and  the  high  priest.  He  obtained  the 
support  of  certain  malcontents  of  the  tribe  of  Reuben.  The 
conspiracy  was  allowed  to  attain  formidable  proportions, 


56  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

but  was  then  suppressed  and  punished  by  a  signal  judg- 
ment of  God.  The  Eeubenites,  who  seemed  to  aim  at 
earthly  power,  were  swallowed  up  by  an  earthquake. 
Korah,  the  Levite,  and  the  two  hundred  and  fifty  men 
who  stood  with  him,  bearing  censers,  aimed  at  spiritual 
power,  and  usurped  the  priests'  office ;  on  them  fell  a  fire 
from  the  Lord  "  and  consumed  them."  Let  it  be  a  lesson  to 
us  to  beware  of  joining  ourselves  to  murmurers  and  com- 
plainers,  who,  assuming  to  vindicate  Christian  liberty,  and 
to  assert  the  holy  calling  of  all  Christian  men,  are  impatient 
of  order  and  office,  and  stir  discontent  in  the  Church  of 
God. 

Aaron  made  intercession  for  the  people  who  had  favoured 
the  conspiracy,  returning  good  for  evil.  So  the  plague, 
which  had  broken  out,  was  stayed.  Immediately  after,  it 
pleased  God,  by  the  sign  of  a  budding  rod,  to  vindicate  the 
sacred  distinction  of  Levi  among  the  tribes,  and  to  confirm 
the  Levitical  priesthood  in  the  house  of  His  servant 
Aaron. 

Few  events  of  the  protracted  sojourn  in  Arabia  are  re- 
lated. At  the  20th  chapter  we  find  the  tribes  re-assembled 
at  Kadesh  Barnea.  Alas !  Moses  and  Aaron  displeased 
God  at  the  very  end  of  the  pilgrimage.  It  was  just  after 
Miriam's  death,  when  we  should  have  expected  the  illus- 
trious brothers  to  have  been  most  subdued  and  quiet  in 
spirit,  that  they  "  erred  in  spirit,"  and  brought  on  them- 
selves reproof  and  loss.  The  people  chode  with  Moses 
because  there  was  no  water.  At  once  he  and  Aaron  be- 
came apprehensive  lest  the  new  generation,  murmuring 
about  water,  like  their  fathers,  should  incur  a  second 
turning-back  from  this  Kadesh  Barnea.     Agitated  by  this 


NUMBERS.  57 

fear,  Moses  did  not  implicitly  rely  as  before  on  God's 
word,  but  threw  into  the  scene  at  the  rock  something  like 
a  display  of  his  own  power,  in  order  to  make  a  deeper  im- 
pression on  the  bystanders.  But  it  was  unwise  and  un- 
worthy of  Moses — this  loud  talking  and  double  striking 
with  the  rod.  It  came  of  secret  misgiving  and  unbelief, 
and  though  the  brothers  obtained  water  for  Israel,  they 
themselves  suffered  loss, — they  entered  not  the  land  of 
promise. 

Aaron  died  on  Mount  Hor,  being  first  stripped  of  his 
priestly  robes,  for  his  high  priesthood  could  not  pass  into 
heaven.  His  son  and  successor,  Eleazar,  descended  the 
mount  in  the  official  robes,  to  show  that  this  priesthood 
continued  on  earth. 

The  wanderings  of  Israel  were  now  nearly  ended.  There 
was  a  tedious  journey  round  the  frontier  of  Idumea, 
through  a  sterile  region,  infested  with  serpents.  When 
those  creatures  gathered  in  unusual  numbers,  and  made 
an  onslaught  on  the  tired  and  discouraged  Israelites,  the 
Lord  directed  Moses  to  form  a  serpent  of  brass  or  copper, 
the  hue  of  which  resembled  that  of  the  poisonous  snakes, 
and  to  expose  it  upon  a  banner-staff,  or  pole,  so  as  to  be 
visible  to  all.  Whosoever  of  the  wounded  people  looked 
to  the  brazen  serpent  was  made  whole.  The  incident  is 
Ml  of  gospel  meaning  and  consolation, — "  As  Moses  lifted 
up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even  so  must  the  Son  of 
Man  be  lifted  up,  that  whosoever  believe th  in  Him  should 
not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life."* 

The  Israelites,  as  they  advanced,  demanded  permission 
to  pass  through  the  territory  of  the  Amorites   and  the 

*  John  iii.  14,  15. 


d&  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

land  of  Bashan.  It  was  refused,  and  Israel,  under  the 
command  of  Moses,  conquered  the  kings,  Sihon  and  Og, 
and  took  possession  of  their  cities  and  lands,  in  order  to 
march  thence,  across  the  Jordan,  into  Palestine. 

III.  Third  Part. — "  And  the  children  of  Israel  set  for- 
ward, and  pitched  in  the  plains  of  Moab,  on  this  side 
Jordan,  by  Jericho."* 

The  chief  danger  now  before  the  people  was  from  Balak 
and  Balaam,  and  reveals  a  new  depth  of  Satan.  Balaam, 
indeed,  was  more  to  be  dreaded  than  any  number  of  mere 
giants,  like  Og,  king  of  Bashan.  He  was  gifted  with  the 
temperament  of  a  seer,  and  had  knowledge  of  the  Holy 
One,  but  used  it  for  unholy  ends,  and  debased  his  spirit 
to  the  lucrative  arts  of  heathen  sorcery.  He  is  the  Anti- 
Moses.  Moses  forsook  Egypt,  not  fearing  the  wrath  of 
King  Pharaoh,  that  he  might  be  true  to  Israel ;  Balaam,  a 
man  of  the  same  time,  and  the  same  lofty  genius,  but  of  a 
base  selfishness  of  heart,  went  to  Moab  to  seek  King 
Balak's  favour  and  rewards,  by  cursing  those  whom  God 
had  blessed.  By  enchantments  he  prevailed  nothing 
against  Israel,  and  was  compelled  to  bless  them  in  glowing 
strains.  But  by  vile  and  crafty  counsel,  he  did  succeed 
in  partially  ensnaring  them.  At  his  suggestion,  the 
daughters  of  Midian  and  Moab  attracted  the  men  of  Israel 
to  the  idolatrous  and  licentious  festivals  of  Baal-Peor.  So 
the  chosen  nation  was  defiled,  and  was  smitten  of  God  for 
the  sin.  But  Israel  was  soon  restored,  and,  under  Phine- 
has  the  priest,  attacked  and  almost  exterminated  the 
wicked  Midianites.     "  Balaam  also,  the  son  of  Beor,  they 

*  Xurn.  xxii.  1. 


NUMBERS.  59 

slew  with  the  sword."  No  death  of  the  righteous  could  he 
for  a  man  that  loved  the  wages  of  unrighteousness.  He 
had  prophesied  as  one  who  enjoyed  the  "vision  of  the  Al- 
mighty." Yet  he  died  as  a  fool  dieth,  and  has  left  a 
shameful  memory. 

Once  more,  before  the  invasion  of  Canaan  began,  the 
Lord  mustered  His  people  as  the  heirs  of  the  inheritance, 
then  gave  command  in  regard  to  the  order  in  which  they 
were  to  occupy  and  possess  the  country,  and  directions  in 
detail  respecting  offerings  and  vows,  the  division  of  spoil 
in  war,  and  the  cities  of  refuge  for  accidental  man-slayers 
to  be  appointed  in  the  land. 

The  order  given  to  Israel  was  to  drive  out  and  dispossess, 
— not  to  massacre  the  Canaanites,  but  to  expel  them,  and 
destroy  all  the  signs  and  materials  of  their  idolatrous 
worship.  The  lesson  for  us  is  obvious.  Called  to  pilgrim- 
age, we  are  also  appointed  to  a  holy  war — sin- vanquishing, 
flesh -mortifying,  idol-excluding, — a  protracted  war,  in 
which  are  sieges  and  marches  and  many  battle-fields,  and 
the  enemy  is  only  put  out  "  by  little  and  little." 

May  the  Lord  enrol  us  all  in  the  number  of  His  people, 
whom  no  man  can  number!  "The  foundation  of  God 
standeth  sure,  having  this  seal,  The  Lord  knoweth  them 
that  are  His.  And,  Let  every  one  that  nameth  the  name 
of  Christ  depart  from  iniquity."* 

*  2  Tim.  ii. 


DEUTERONOMY. 

This  book,  like  those  that  have  gone  before,  bears  the 
name  assigned  to  it  by  the  Greek  translators,  meaning  the 
second,  i.e.}  the  repeated  Law.  It  proceeds  on  the  contents 
of  the  three  books  immediately  preceding,  and,  rehearsing 
many  of  them,  urges  the  generation  of  Israel,  now  about 
to  enter  on  the  deferred  conquest  and  occupation  of 
Canaan,  to  careful,  loving,  and  consistent  obedience.  It 
gives  prominence  to  the  spiritual  principle  of  the  Divine 
Law,  and  develops  in  detail  the  ecclesiastical,  judicial, 
and  political  system  on  which  should  depend  the  well- 
being  of  Israel,  when  settled  in  their  own  land. 

As  might  be  expected,  this  book  contains  very  little 
stirring  incident,  differing  therein  from  Exodus  and  Num- 
bers ;  but  it  is  of  great  value  for  its  ethical  and  spiritual 
tone,  and  is  largely  quoted  by  the  prophets.  The  discourses 
and  exhortations  of  Jeremiah  and  Ezekiel  are  formed  very 
much  on  the  model  of  the  addresses  and  appeals  contained 
in  Deuteronomy.  On  this  book  also,  as  we  shall  see,  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  placed  peculiar  honour. 

By  far  the  greater  part  of  the  work  before  us  consists  of 
four  addresses  to  Israel,  while  yet  encamped  in  the  plains 
on  the  east  of  the  Jordan,  with  blessings  and  curses  added. 


DEUTERONOMY.  61 

The  men  whom  Moses  saw  around  him  were  not  those 
whom  he  had  led  out  of  Egypt,  but  their  children ;  and, 
before  he  transferred  his  authority  to  his  successor,  who 
should  lead  them  into  the  promised  land,  the  aged  Prophet 
poured  out  a  solemn  charge  to  them,  "  according  unto  all 
that  the  Lord  had  given  him  in  commandment." 

I.  Tour  chapters  are  occupied  with  recapitulation  of  the 
history  of  the  tribes,  from  the  time  when  they  left  their 
encampment  at  Horeb,  till  they  reached  Kadesh  Barnea, 
their  subsequent  wanderings  in  the  desert,  and  their  ulti- 
mate arrival  at  the  confines  of  the  promised  land,  signalised 
by  victory  over  the  king  of  the  Amorites,  and  the  king  of 
Bashan.  On  this  history  was  founded  exhortation,  to 
hearken  to  the  commandments  of  Jehovah  and  to  do  them. 
It  was  surely  a  significant  warning  against  disobedience, 
that  their  fathers'  wilfulness  at  Kadesh  Barnea  had  length- 
ened out  what  might  have  been  an  eleven  days'  journey 
into  one  of  forty  years  * 

II.  Then  follow  eight  chapters  in  which  the  Law  is 
rehearsed,  with  earnest  appeals  for  obedience.  This  address 
begins  with  repetition  of  the  Ten  Commandments,  and 
proceeds  to  impress  the  principle  of  acceptable  obedience, 
viz.,  the  love  of  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  with  all  their 
"  heart  and  soul  and  might."  The  only  material  difference 
between  the  Decalogue,  as  here  given,  and  as  formerly 
delivered  at  Sinai,  and  recorded  in  Exodus,  is  that  here  the 
reason  assigned  for  the  Sabbath  is  not  the  rest  after  crea- 
tion, but  the  redemption  out  of  Egypt.  This  is  easily 
accounted  for.  It  is  in  keeping  with  the  fact  that  here  the 
Law  is  given,  not  so  much  as  a  code  for  all  peoples,  as  in 

*  Sec  Deut.  i.  2,  3. 


62  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

the  form  of  a  covenant  between  Jehovah  and  the  tribes  of 
Israel.  With  urgent  and  repeated  exhortations  to  the 
observance  of  all  Jehovah's  commandments,  statutes,  and 
judgments,  this  important  section  concludes. 

It  is  a  high  honour  put  on  this  part  of  the  book,  that 
out  of  it  the  Man  Christ  Jesus  chose  the  three  sayings 
with  which  He  foiled  the  three  temptations  in  the  wilder- 
ness. The  first  is  taken  from  chap.  viii.  3,  the  second  from 
chap.  vi.  16,  and  the  third  from  chap.  vi.  13,  and  x.  20. 
Our  Lord  held  His  position  against  the  Tempter,  not  as  a 
divine  Being,  but  as  a  Man — God's  faithful  Servant,  His 
Son  whom  He  had  called  out  of  Egypt.  Israel,  the  servant 
of  God,  His  son  called  out  of  Egypt,  after  a  separation  and 
sojourn  in  the  wilderness  for  forty  years,  received  the 
Book  of  Deuteronomy.  Jesus,  having  been  separated  from 
all  men  in  the  wilderness  for  forty  days,  took  into  His 
mouth,  as  an  Israelite  indeed,  the  words  of  this  very  book, 
and  withstood  the  Tempter  in  perfect,  loving  obedience  to 
God. 

III.  After  an  earnest  warning  against  a  renewal  of  the 
provocation  and  rebellion  that  had  marred  their  pilgrim- 
age, Moses  prescribes  to  Israel  in  detail  the  laws  and  ordi- 
nances they  should  observe  when  settled  in  Canaan.  This 
occupies  a  long  discourse — chaps.  viii.-xxvi.  All  proceeded 
on  the  principle,  that  the  people  belonged  to  Jehovah,  and 
were  bound  to  abjure  everything  at  variance  with  His  will 
and  glory.  Worship  was  to  have  a  local  centre.  All 
heathenish  shrines  and  images  were  to  be  utterly  destroyed. 
Any  act  of  idolatrous  worship  on  the  part  of  an  Israelite 
was  to  be  punished  with  death ;  and  many  other  laws  are 
given,  expressive  of  the  purity  and  justice  of  God,  and 


DEUTERONOMY.  C3 

fitted  to  teach  His  people  righteousness  of  conduct,  bene- 
volent consideration  for  others,  kindness  to  strangers  and 
the  poor,  and  to  correct  all  tendencies  to  coarseness  and 
brutality  of  life.  This  section  ends  with  a  solemn  de- 
claration of  Israel's  relationship  and  duty  to  Jehovah. 
They  had  avouched  the  Lord  to  be  their  God,  and  He  had 
avouched  them  to  be  His  peculiar  people. 

IV.  In  chapters  xxvii.-xxx.  we  read  the  blessings  and 
curses  severally  attached  to  obedience  and  disobedience. 
This  discourse  was  addressed  to  all  Israel,  in  the  most 
public  and  impressive  manner.  Direction  was  also  given, 
that  after  they  had  crossed  the  river  Jordan  they  should 
raise  pillars  on  Mount  Ebal,  and,  after  sacrifice,  inscribe  on 
the  stones  the  words  of  the  Law.  Then,  while  the  people 
stood,  six  tribes  on  Mount  Gerizim,  and  six  on  the  opposite 
Mount  Ebal,  the  blessings  of  obedience  were  to  be  declared 
from  the  former,  and  the  curses,  or  penalties  of  disobe- 
dience, from  the  latter.  Thus  was  the  dread  alternative  to 
be  in  the  most  impressive  manner  placed  before  the  whole 
nation,  and  the  people  were  to  say  Amen,  acknowledging 
the  Lord's  word,  and  accepting  His  covenant. 

It  is  significant  that  the  Law  was  to  be  inscribed  on 
Mount  Ebal  only.  It  indicates  that  as  many  as  are  of  the 
works  of  the  Law  are  "under  the  curse,"  and  that  the 
whole  legal  economy  in  Israel  would,  because  of  the  car- 
nality of  their  minds,  work  wrath,  and  involve  the  absolute 
need  of  salvation  by  a  Redeemer.  Indeed,  when  we  expect 
the  blessings,  at  all  events,  to  precede  the  curses  in  chapter 
xxvii.,  we  are  appalled  to  find  that  the  curses  go  first, 
twelve  in  number,  the  last  of  them,  the  sweeping  impre- 
cation which  is  quoted  by  St.  Paul  in  his  Epistle  to  the 


U  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

Galations, — "Cursed  be  lie  that  confirmeth  not  all  the 
words  of  this  law  to  do  them."  *  When  the  blessings  are 
mentioned,  everlasting  life  is  not  among  them,  but  pro- 
sperity, peace,  national  welfare,  and  power.  After  these, 
again,  are  recited  the  opposite  evils  or  curses,  disease, 
famine,  war,  desolation,  and  captivity. 

The  30th  chapter  goes  further,  and  foresees  the  tribes  of 
Israel  under  punishment  and  expelled  from  their  home,  or 
taken  captive  by  other  nations.  Then  follows  the  preach- 
ing of  repentance,  so  powerfully  carried  out  by  Jeremiah, 
Hosea,  Ezekiel,  and  other  prophets  of  a  later  time.  Turning 
to  God  with  the  heart,  and  hearkening  again  to  His  voice, 
the  people  were  to  be  restored  to  their  land  and  to  His 
favour.  Of  this,  Moses  was  permitted  to  give  them  early 
assurance;  and  thus  with  a  breath  of  mercy  and  hope 
ended  his  weighty  discourse  to  the  people.  Think  of  the 
aged  prophet  thus  foreseeing  the  mischief  that  would  come 
on  a  rebellious  people,  and  hear  him  crying  aloud,  "  I  call 
heaven  and  earth  to  record  this  day  against  you,  that  I 
have  set  before  you  life  and  death,  blessing  and  cursing ; 
therefore  choose  life,  that  both  thou  and  thy  seed  may 
live :  that  thou  mayest  love  the  Lord  thy  God,  and.  that 
thou  mayest  obey  His  voice,  and  that  thou  mayest  cleave 
unto  Him,  for  He  is  thy  life,  and  the  length  of  thy  days."f 

Before  we  leave  these  discourses,  let  us  look  at  three 
passages  which  bear  on  Christ  and  the  Gospel.  Christ 
quoted  three  sayings  from  Deuteronomy ;  three  other 
sayings  are  quoted  in  reference  to  Christ. 

1.  Deut.  xviii.  15-19.  — "The  Lord  thy  God  will 
raise  up  unto  thee  a  Prophet  from  the  midst  of  thee,  of 

*  Gal.  iii.  10.  t  Deut.  xxx.  19.  20.     • 


DEUTERONOMY.  65 

thy  brethren,  like  unto  me,  unto  Him  ye  shall  hearken," 
&c.  The  application  of  this  oracle  to  Christ  has  been  dis- 
puted.    We  firmly  hold  it,  for  the  following  reasons  : — 

(a.)  The  promise  of  this  great  Frophet  was  first  given  by 
the  Lord  to  Moses  at  Horeb,  or  Sinai,  in  the  day  when  the 
people  were  afraid  of  direct  communications  from  God. 
Moses  then  acted  as  mediator,  and  stood  between  Jehovah 
and  the  people.  There  is  no  prophet  like  to  him  as  media- 
tor till  we  come  to  Jesus  Christ. 

(&.)  It  was  the  glory  of  Moses  that  he  had  charge,  as  a 
steward,  over  the  house  of  God;  organiser  of  the  holy 
nation,  and  founder  under  Divine  direction  of  the  entire 
Hebrew  form  and  dispensation  of  religion.  Many  pro- 
phets and  prophetesses  arose  after  him,  but  were  not  like 
him  in  position,  only  built  on  his  foundation,  developed 
and  applied  under  Divine  impulse,  the  laws  and  principles 
which  Moses  laid  down.  At  last  came  Jesus  Christ,  like 
unto  Moses  in  having  the  care  and  administration  of  God's 
house,  but  greater,  and  worthy  of  more  honour,  because 
not  the  steward,  but  the  Son.  Apostles  and  prophets  fol- 
lowed Him,  but  only  continued  what  He  did  and  taught, 
developed  and  applied  under  the  guidance  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  principles  and  precepts,  which  the  Master  had  laid 
down,  and  which  are  most  fully  and  affectionately  delivered 
in  the  New  Testament  Deuteronomy — the  Gospel  according 
to  St.  John. 

(c.)  It  appears  from  the  language  of  the  woman  at 
Sychar  (John  iv.  25),  that  the  Samaritans  expected  the 
Messiah  to  be  a  great  prophet  and  teacher.  Now  the 
Samaritans  received  only  the  Pentateuch,  and  while  there 
are  other  passages  in  the  Pentateuch  that  refer  to  a  Mes- 

E 


66  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

siah,  there  is  none  but  this  on  which  they  could  have 
founded  the  expectation,  that,  when  Messiah  came,  He 
would  "  tell  them  all  things." 

(d.)  The  Jews  and  Galileans  found  a  testimony  to  Christ 
in  the  writings  of  Moses,  as  well  as  the  prophets ;  and  our 
Lord  Himself  warned  the  Jews  that  Moses,  in  whom  they 
trusted,  would  accuse  them  of  disobedience  to  His  words. 
Now  there  is  no  other  passage  than  this,  in  the  writings  of 
Moses,  that  warns  against  disobedience  to  the  words  of  the 
great  future  Prophet  of  God. 

(e.)  This  passage  is  expressly  interpreted  of  Jesus  Christ  by 
the  Apostle  Peter,  and  seems  to  be  quoted  in  the  same  sense 
by  the  first  martyr,  Stephen.     See  Acts  iii.  22,  23  ;  vii.  37. 

The  sum  of  the  matter  is  that  Jesus  the  Christ  is  the 
Greater  than  Moses — the  Prophet  of  Prophets,  on  Whom 
rested,  without  measure,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord. 

2.  Deut.  xxi.  23. — "  He  that  is  hanged  is  accursed 
of  God."  This  is  the  passage  quoted  in  Gal.  iii.  13,  and 
brings  before  us  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  the  Crucified  One 
hanging  dead  upon  it,  "  made  a  curse  for  us."  For  Jews 
or  Gentiles  to  seek  justification  by  the  Law  is  a  course  of 
infatuation,  and  ends  in  condemnation  and  death.  Christ 
is  our  redemption  as  a  Crucified  One  from  the  curse  of  the 
Law,  that  the  blessing — not  of  Moses  or  the  Law,  but  of 
Abraham — might  come  on  us  Gentiles,  and  we  might  receive 
the  promise  of  the  Spirit  through  faith. 

3.  Deut.  xxx.  11-14. — "For  this  commandment  which  I 
command  thee  this  day,  it  is  not  hidden  from  thee,  neither 
is  it  far  off.  It  is  not  in  heaven,  that  thou  shouldest  say, 
Who  shall  go  up  for  us  to  heaven,  and  bring  it  unto  us, 
that  we  may  hear  it,  and  do  it  ?     Xeither  is  it  beyond  the 


DEUTERONOMY.  67 

sea,  that  thou  shoulJest  say,  Who  shall  go  over  the  sea  for 
us,  and  bring  it  unto  us,  that  we  may  hear  it,  and  do  it  ? 
But  the  word  is  very  nigh  unto  thee,  in  thy  mouth,  and  in 
thy  heart,  that  thou  mayest  do  it." 

Compare  with  this  Pom.  x.  6-10.  St.  Taul  not  merely 
adopts  the  language  of  Moses,  but  pursues  the  line  of  his 
deepest  thought.  The  prophet  anticipated  a  time  when 
Israel  would  incur  Divine  wrath  by  disobedience,  and  in- 
structed them  to  turn  with  all  their  hearts  to  God  Himself, 
whose  word  was  very  nigh.  The  apostle  in  his  time  saw 
Israel  going  astray  from  God  and  His  righteousness  by 
misuse  of  the  very  law  of  Moses,  and  about  to  incur  that 
penalty  of  dispersion  which  lies  on  them  unto  this  day. 
Accordingly  he  laboured  to  teach  them  the  contrast  be- 
tween righteousness  which  is  of  the  Law  and  righteousness 
which  is  of  God  by  faith,  and  in  order  to  this,  used  the 
language  originally  employed  by  Moses  for  recalling  Israel 
to  God;  the  distinction,  however,  being  made,  that,  whereas 
Moses  spoke  of  the  revelation  of  God  as  their  beneficent 
Euler  made  to  Israel,  Paul  spoke  of  the  fuller  revelation  of 
the  same  God  in  His  Son,  and  the  grace  and  truth  that  have 
come  by  Jesus  Christ.  This  gospel-teaching,  too,  the 
apostle  so  gave  as  to  enlighten  the  Gentiles  as  well  as  the 
Jews,  because  he  was  a  preacher  of  the  gospel  of  the  grace 
of  God  to  every  creature. 

The  remainder  of  Deuteronomy  contains  the  farewell 
and  death  of  Moses,  and  was  written,  of  course,  by  a  later 
pen  than  his  own.  It  forms  a  touching  and  dignified  con- 
clusion to  the  whole  Pentateuch. 

Moses  introduced  Joshua  as  his  successor,  finished  the 


OS  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

writing  of  the  Law,  and  committed  the  roll  to  the  priests, 
with  injunction  that  it  should  be  read  aloud  at  the  Feast 
of  Tabernacles  in  every  seventh  year.  The  stone  tables  of 
the  Law  were  deposited  in  the  ark,  and  the  book  of  the 
Law  was  to  rest  beside  the  ark  of  the  covenant. 

Thereafter,  the  aged  leader  spoke  the  words  of  a  grand 
prophetic  song  in  the  ears  of  all  the  congregation,  yet 
demanded  a  greater  audience, — "Give  ear,  0  ye  heavens, 
and  I  will  speak;  and  hear,  0  earth,  the  words  of  my 
mouth."*  It  is  a  song  of  mercy  and  of  judgment,  extolling 
God's  perfections,  reproving  Israel's  perversities,  and,  in 
language  which  shows  Moses  to  have  been  as  great  a  poet 
to  the  very  last  as  he  wTas  forty  years  before,  when  he  com- 
posed the  sublime  song  at  the  Eed  Sea, — the  oldest  lyric  in 
the  world. 

Having  thus  rounded  his  career  in  the  wilderness  with 
holy  song,  the  leader  of  Israel  gave  to  the  tribes  his  pro- 
phetic blessing,  with  especial  regard  therein  to  their  future 
destiny,  as  dividers  and  occupiers  of  the  soil  of  Palestine. 
The  only  tribe  omitted  is  Simeon,  which  had  recently 
sinned  very  grievously  with  the  Midianites,  under  the 
counsel  of  Balaam.  Accordingly,  when  the  land  was 
divided  among  the  Israelites,  Simeon  got,  not  an  inde- 
pendent district,  but  a  tract  of  land  "  within  the  inherit- 
ance of  the  children  of  Judah."*f* 

Finally,  Moses  died.  There  was  no  dimness  in  his  eye, 
though  his  years  were  an  hundred  and  twenty.  Xo  look 
of  a  dying  man  had  he,  nor  did  his  step  falter,  as  he 
climbed  the  mountain  of  Kebo,  to  the  top  of  Pisgah.  It 
was   a   deliberate   march  to   death   and  burial.     Having 

*  Dexit.  xxxii.  1.  t  Josh.  xix.  1. 


DEUTERONOMY.  GO 

readied  the  summit,  he  saw  the  whole  land  of  Canaan  at 
his  feet,  drew  the  mighty  view  into  his  soul,  then  closed 
his  eyes,  and  passed  to  God.  His  sepulchre  no  man  knows 
to  this  day.  Those  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Joseph, 
Eachel,  and  David  are  all  well  known,  but  the  sepulchre 
of  Moses,  the  greatest  man  of  his  nation,  can  no  one 
trace.  We  gather  from  the  New  Testament  that  Michael, 
an  high  prince  with  God,  angel-protector  of  the  house 
of  Israel,  guarded  the  prophet's  body,  and  rebuked 
Satan,  who  resisted  its  resurrection.  That  it  was  raised 
is  inferred,  from  the  appearance  of  Moses  in  a  glorified 
body  with  Elias,  on  the  mount  of  our  Lord's  transfigura- 
tion. 

It  was  essential  to  the  typical  meaning  and  purpose  of 
this  history  that  Moses  should  not  cross  the  river,  for  he 
was  the  representative  man  of  the  Law,  and  the  Law  brings 
no  one  into  rest.  For  himself,  too,  it  was  better  to  depart. 
He  got  something  nobler  far  than  an  entrance  into  Canaan, 
— a  home  with  God  and  the  departed  worthies.  Yet  there 
is  something  very  touching  in  his  death,  on  the  very  edge 
of  the  promised  land.  An  end  like  his  has  been  not  in- 
frequent among  great  leaders  of  intellectual  or  religious 
life.  They  labour  and  see  not,  or,  if  they  foresee,  enjoy  not 
the  fruit  of  their  labours.  A  hero  falls  in  the  very  arms 
of  victory,  a  scientific  genius  surrenders  to  others  the 
advantage  of  his  discoveries,  reformers  and  missionaries  of 
truth  and  progress  often  die  on  the  threshold  of  success, 
leaving  it  to  others  to  accomplish  what  they  could  not 
continue,  "by  reason  of  death."  A  striking  precedent 
there  is  in  the  death  of  Moses,  the  man  of  God.  A  lesson, 
too,  of  submission  and  contentment. 


70  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

"  And  had  he  not  high  honour — 

The  hill-side  for  his  pall ; 
To  lie  in  state  while  angels  wait, 

"With  stars  for  tapers  all ; 
And  the  dark  rock-pines,  like  tossing  plumes, 


And  God's  own  hand,  in  the  lonely  land, 
To  lay  him  in  the  grave  ! 

0  lonely  tomb  in  Moab's  land ! 

O  dark  Beth-Peor's  hill ! 
Speak  to  these  curious  hearts  of  ours, 

And  teach  them  to  be  still ! 
God  hath  His  mysteries  of  grace, 

Ways  that  Ave  cannot  tell, 
And  hides  them  deep,  like  the  secret  sleep, 

Of  him  he  loved  so  well." 


Over  his  bier  to  wave, 


JOSHUA. 

Heke  begins  the  second  division  of  the  Hebrew  Bible, — 
the  earlier  Prophets,  comprising  the  Books  of  Joshua, 
Judges,  Samuel,  and  Kings. 

The  book  which  we  have  now  reached  has  fine  character- 
istics as  a  history,  and  is,  moreover,  very  rich  in  Christian 
suggestion.  Like  the  Books  of  Moses,  it  is  free  from  any 
hero-worship,  or  glorying  in  man ;  but  Joshua,  whether 
the  author  of  the  book  or  no,  is  throughout  the  chief 
figure — the  narrative  opening  with  his  installation  to  office, 
and  closing  with  his  death.  This  Joshua  was  a  prince  of 
the  tribe  of  Ephraim,  born  in  Egypt,  and,  after  the  exodus, 
selected  by  Moses  as  his  attendant  or  adjutant-general  in 
the  host  of  Israel.  It  was  he  who  led  the  fighting-men  in 
their  successful  combat  with  the  Amalekites  at  Iiephidim, 
soon  after  the  passage  of  the  Pied  Sea.  It  was  he  who 
attended  Moses  in  the  Mount,  and  was  thus  absent  from 
the  camp  at  the  time  of  the  idolatrous  worship  of  the 
golden  calf.  It  was  he  who  stood  alone  by  the  side  of 
faithful  Caleb,  in  giving  a  report  of  the  exploration  of 
Canaan.  Forty  years  thereafter,  the  chief  command  fell 
by  Divine  appointment  to  him  as  the  successor  of  Moses. 
Like  the  great  leader,  he  had  been  most  carefully  trained 


72  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

and  proved  for  his  lofty  enterprise,  and  entered  on  his 
command  apparently  about  the  same  age  as  his  predecessor, 
— at  or  about  eighty  years.  He  filled  his  post  for  nearly 
thirty  years,  and  died  at  the  ripe  age  of  one  hundred  and 
ten. 

This  book  easily  breaks  into  two  parts,  each  consisting 
of  twelve  chapters, — the  former  treating  of  the  conquest, 
and  the  latter  of  the  distribution,  of  the  promised  land. 
With  an  introduction  and  an  epilogue,  these  are  the  con- 
tents of  the  work.  Our  plan,  however,  is  to  take  the 
history  as  a  whole,  and  thereafter  point  out  the  Christian 
meanings  that  underlie  the  narrative,  or  are  suggested 
thereby. 


OCT 


I.  The  History. 

1.  Of  the  Invasion. — Happily,  the  authority  of  Joshua 
was  undisputed.  Moses,  before  his  death,  had  publicly 
transferred  to  him  his  own  leadership,  and  after  the  great 
prophet's  decease,  the  Lord  confirmed  the  succession,  and 
promised  to  be  with  the  new  leader,  as  He  had  been  with 
the  old.  So  Moses  seemed  to  live  again  in  Joshua,  and  to 
him  the  people  hearkened  as  they  had  hearkened  to  Moses. 
He  did  all  that  his  predecessor  could  possibly  have  done, 
if  he  had  personally  led  the  invasion,  and  he  exhibited 
throughout  the  very  mind  of  Moses, — the  same  loyalty  to 
God,  love  to  Israel,  and  personal  disinterestedness,  taking- 
nothing  for  himself,  his  private  enrichment,  or  family  pro- 
motion, but  seeking  the  good  of  all  Israel,  and  finding  his 
own  joy  in  their  obedience  and  prosperity. 

In  the  first  steps  that  Joshua  took,  one  sees  the  prompti- 
tude and  wariness  which  together  mark  the  good  com- 


JOSHUA.  73 

mander.  Having  given  orders  that  the  host  should  he 
ready  to  cross  the  river  Jordan  in  three  days,  he  quietly 
despatched  two  scouts,  -who  made  their  way  into  the  forti- 
fied town  of  Jericho.  Having  been  sheltered  there  by  a 
woman  named  Rabat),  whose  life  and  household  were 
afterwards  spared  for  this  good  service,  the  scouts  returned 
with  the  welcome  news  that  the  approach  of  Israel  had 
stricken  the  Canaanites  with  terror.  "  All  the  inhabitants 
of  the  country  do  faint  because  of  us." 

Joshua  was  glad  to  learn  that  the  passage  of  the  river 
was  not  to  be  disputed  by  a  hostile  army,  and  gave  Israel 
the  order  to  advance.  The  river,  however,  itself  presented 
a  great  difficulty,  for  it  was  swollen  in  consequence  of  the 
melting  of  the  snows  on  Lebanon.  Yet  the  transit  must 
be  made,  and  made  at  that  very  spot,  for  the  Lord  had 
told  His  people  to  pass  over  "  right  against  Jericho."  As 
at  the  Red  Sea,  so  at  the  river,  the  simple  duty  of  Israel 
was  to  "go  forward;"  and  the  Lord,  who  had  taken  their 
fathers  through  the  sea,  took  the  children  through  the 
stream  of  Jordan.  Joshua,  indeed,  had  no  rod  to  stretch 
out,  for  he  was  a  man  of  war;  and  when  he  lifted  his 
hand,  he  stretched  out  the  spear.  Wonders  were  now 
done  by  the  sacred  ark;  and,  as  the  feet  of  the  priests, 
bearing  that  symbol  of  God's  throne,  touched  the  river  at 
its  brink,  the  waters  of  Jordan  were  held  back  on  the 
upper  side,  and  those  below  running  down  to  the  Dead 
Sea,  a  broad  passage  was  opened  to  the  mighty  host.  All 
passed  over  dry-shod,  while  the  priests,  with  the  ark, 
stood  still  to  the  last  moment  in  the  bed  of  the  river. 
Twelve  stones  lor  a  memorial — one  for  each  tribe — were 
taken   from   the   channel  of  the   stream.     Then   Joshua 


74  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

"  commanded  the  priests,  saying,  Come  ye  up  out  of  Jordan. 
And  it  came  to  pass  .  .  .  that  the  waters  of  Jordan  re- 
turned to  their  place,  and  flowed  over  all  his  banks,  as 
they  did  before."* 

The  first  encampment  of  Israel  in  the  land  was  at  Gil- 
gal,  near  Jericho.  There,  by  divine  command,  the  males 
of  all  the  tribes  born  in  the  wilderness  were  circumcised, 
for  that  rite  had  fallen  into  abeyance  during  the  pilgrimage. 
Then  the  passover  was  kept,  in  memory  of  the  night  in 
which  Israel  was  saved  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  Manna 
ceased,  and  the  invaders  ate  of  the  produce  of  the  land  of 
Canaan.  They  had  entered  on  the  land  in  a  marvellous 
manner,  without  a  sword  drawn,  or  a  life  forfeited. 

2.  Of  the  Conquest. — A  vision  of  God  was  given  to 
Joshua  alone,  with  directions  for  the  first  exploit  of  the 
war,  the  capture  of  the  frontier  city  Jericho.  It  was  a 
walled  town,  and  the  invaders  had  no  battering-rams  or 
other  instruments  known  to  ancient  warriors  for  the  re- 
duction of  strongholds.  But  Joshua  obeyed  the  divine 
command,  ordered  the  ark  to  be  carried  round  the  city  for 
seven  days — a  sevenfold  or  perfect  demonstration  of  faith 
in  God — and  the  place  vTas  taken.  "  By  faith  the  walls  of 
Jericho  fell  down,  after  they  were  compassed  about  seven 

days."t 

Yet,  close  on  victory  came  defeat,  for  presumptuous  sin 
was  found  in  Israel.  Orders  had  been  issued  to  bring  the 
precious  metals  found  in  Jericho  to  the  sacred  treasury, 
and  to  destroy  all  other  spoil  by  fire.  But  Achan  saw, 
coveted,  took,  and  hid  in  the  ground  a  Babylonish  garment, 
and  a  wedge  of  gold.     For  this  the  whole  nation  suffered. 

*  Josh.  iv.  17,  13.  +  Heb.  xi.  30. 


JOSHUA.  75 

The  expedition  against  the  town  of  Ai  failed,  and  Joshua 
was  deeply  grieved.  Then  followed  inquiry,  detection  of 
the  sinner,  and  public  infliction  of  death,  as  a  solemn 
warning  to  all  against  covetousness,  deceit,  and  the  viola- 
tion of  the  strict  discipline  which  is  essential  to  military 
success.  This  done,  the  valley  of  Achor  became  "  a  door 
of  hope."*  The  host  went  forth  with  better  success,  the 
defeat  was  turned  into  victory,  and  the  city  of  Ai  was 
taken. 

Thereafter  ensued  a  brief  pause  in  the  war,  while  the 
directions  of  Moses  were  carried  out  in  regard  to  the 
rehearsal  of  the  Law,  with  blessings  for  obedience,  and 
curses  for  disobedience.  An  altar  was  reared  on  Mount 
Ebul,  and  half  of  the  tribes  stood  (no  doubt  by  their  repre- 
sentatives) on  that  mount,  and  half  on  Gerizim,  while 
Joshua  read  aloud  all  that  Moses  commanded.  Thus  were 
the  people  opportunely  admonished,  that  their  continuance 
in  the  land  which  they  had  begun  to  conquer  depended 
entirely  on  their  compliance  with  Jehovah's  will. 

The  9th,  10th,  and  11th  chapters  describe  continued 
conquest.  The  Gibeonites  submitted  themselves  in  sub- 
tilty,  but  the  tribes  of  Canaan  generally  made  a  stout 
resistance.  Joshua  first  encountered  the  southern  confe- 
deracy, then  turned  against  the  northern,  and  in  both 
cases  with  complete  success,  for  he  "  took  the  whole  land." 
The  greatest  battle  of  the  war  was  that  of  Beth-Horon,  in 
which  the  pursuit  of  the  flying  foe  was  facilitated  by  a 
wondrous  prolongation  of  daylight,  poetically  described  as 
a  standing  still  of  the  sun  upon  Gibeon,  and  of  the  moon 
in  the  valley  of  Ajalon. 

*  Hosea  ii.  15. 


76  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

The  11th  chapter  ends  with  the  words,  "for  the  land 
rested  from  war."  The  12th  has  a  list  of  the  conquered 
chiefs  or  kings.  So  the  Lord  God  drove  out  the  heathen 
who  had  defiled  His  land.  And  the  conquerors  "  got  not 
the  land  in  possession  by  their  own  sword,  neither  did 
their  own  arm  save  them,  but  His  right  hand  and  His  arm 
and  the  light  of  His  countenance,  because  He  had  a  favour 
unto  them."* 

3.  Of  the  distribution  of  the  land. — Part  of  the  country 
was  still  held  by  the  Canaanites,  but  its  conquest  was 
assumed,  and  for  purposes  of  allocation  the  whole  land 
was  reckoned  as  in  the  possession  of  IsraeL  The  tribal 
districts  were  then  apportioned  by  lot. 

Many  interesting  details  enliven  the  topographical  por- 
tion of  the  book.  "We  find  the  venerable  Caleb  putting  in 
a  special  claim  to  Hebron,  on  the  ground  of  a  grant  made 
to  him  by  Moses  after  he  had  explored  the  land ;  and  we 
can  imagine  the  joy  with  which  Joshua  allowed  the  claim 
of  his  old  comrade.  We  are  disappointed  to  learn  that  the 
two  strongest  tribes,  Judah  and  Ephraim,  could  not  dri\;e 
out  all  the  heathen  from  their  lands,  for  the  Jebusites  still 
held  Jerusalem,  and  Canaanites  dwelt  in  Gezer.  The 
tabernacle  was  set  up  in  Shiloh  within  the  tribe  of  Eph- 
raim, and  thither  were  the  people  gathered,  as  to  the  centre 
of  worship.  Joshua  took  no  inheritance  for  himself,  but 
the  whole  nation  gratefully  assigned  one  to  him — Tim- 
nath-Serah,  in  Mount  Ephraim. 

Thereafter  the  cities  of  refuge  were  appointed  at  proper 
distances,  and  the  cities  of  the  Levites  designated  by  lot. 

*  Ps.  xliv.  3. 


JOSHUA.  77 

Then  all  was  finished.  "There  failed  not  aught  of  any 
good  thing  which  the  Lord  had  spoken  unto  the  house  of 
Israel.  All  came  to  pass."*  The  men  of  the  two  tribes 
and  a  half,  who  had  got  their  lands  from  Moses,  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Jordan,  had  honourably  helped  their 
brethren  in  the  war.  These  were  uow  sent  back  to  Bash  an 
and  Gilead,  with  a  solemn  charge,  not  to  break  the  re- 
ligious unity  of  Israel.  So  this  part  of  the  history  is 
closed.     There  remains  an  account : — 

4  Of  the  dying  counsels  and  death  of  Joshua. — Ap- 
parently, there  are  two  addresses  of  the  aged  hero,  to  the 
elders,  judges,  and  officers  of  all  Israel ;  the  second  being 
given  with  great  solemnity  at  Shechem,  which  may  be 
reckoned  the  capital  of  Palestine  for  the  time.  At  that 
memorable  spot,  Abraham  first  built  an  altar  in  the  land. 
There  Jacob  buried  the  household  images  under  the  oak. 
There  the  ark  had  been  placed  during  the  rehearsal  of  the 
Law,  with  blessings  and  curses,  for  Shechem  is  between 
Ebal  and  Gerizim  ;  and  there  the  children  of  Israel  laid 
the  embalmed  body  of  the  illustrious  prince  Joseph,  which 
they  had  carried  with  them  from  Egypt,  according  to  his 
dying  injunction. 

Joshua  was  not  a  poet  like  Moses,  and  composed  no 
song.  The  prophetic  spirit,  however,  rested  on  him,  and 
in  his  last  exhortation,  in  which  he  charged  the  people, 
and  took  them  bound  to  serve  Jehovah,  he  appears  to 
have  had  a  foreboding  of  evil  to  come.  One  of  his  last 
acts  was  to  set  up  in  Shechem  a  pillar  of  stone,  according 
to  the  custom  of  the  age,  as  a  permanent  witness  to  the 
people,  lest  they  should  deny  their  God.     Then  the  good 

*  Josh.  xxi.  45. 


78  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

soldier  passed  away.  To  him  is  given  at  his  death  the 
same  title  as  was  given  to  Moses,  "the  servant  of  the 
Lord."  "And  Israel  served  the  Lord  all  the  days  of 
Joshua,  and  all  the  days  of  the  elders  that  over-lived 
Joshua,  and  which  had  known  all  the  works  of  the  Lord 
that  He  had  done  for  Israel."* 

II.  The  Application  of  this  Narrative. 

1.  To  Church  history. — The  Book  of  Joshua  suggests  that 
of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  Moses  lived  again  in  Joshua. 
Jesus  lives — not  in  another,  but  Himself,  risen  from  the 
dead,  both  "Leader  and  Commander  of  the  people" — 
Moses  and  Joshua  in  one.  Thus  the  book  called  Acts  of 
the  Apostles  is  properly  the  book  of  the  Acts  of  the  living 
Christ,  in  and  by  His  Apostles,  evangelists,  deacons, 
martyrs,  and  people.  It  is  He  who  all  through  that  book 
exercises  authority,  shows  vitality  and  power.  Jesus  Christ, 
living  in,  and  leading  on,  the  Church  by  the  Spirit,  is  the 
Joshua  of  our  profession.  He  led  the  Church  through 
baptism  into  death,  as  through  the  bed  of  deep  waters ; 
and  by  the  power  of  His  resurrection  brought  up  the  dis- 
ciples into  a  new  position,  one  of  promise  and  grace,  but 
therefore  too  of  risk  and  conflict. 

As,  at  the  outset,  Israel  was  hindered  by  walled  Jericho, 
so  at  the  beginning  of  Church  history,  the  apostles  and 
brethren  had  to  face  the  ignorance  and  prejudice  of  the  men 
of  Jerusalem.  The  war  must  begin  there,  and  they  had  no 
might  or  power  with  which  to  prevail.  So  they  compassed 
the  city  about  for  seven  days — i.e.,  they  continued  for  that 
space  with  one  accord  in  prayer  and  supplication.     When 

*  Josh.  xxiv.  81. 


JOSHUA.  TO 

the  clay  of  Pentecost  was  fully  come,  the  trumpet  was 
blown  by  Simon  Peter,  the  walls  of  resistance  fell,  and  the 
campaign  of  the  Church  was  well  commenced.  That  first 
victory  was  the  earnest  of  all  victories.  If  the  Israelites 
were  discouraged  at  any  later  stage  of  their  war,  they  had 
but  to  remember  Jericho.  If  Christian  preachers  or 
workers  are  discouraged,  they  ought  to  remember  Jerusa- 
lem on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  Is  anything  too  hard  for 
the  Lord  ? 

But  Achan  sinned  and  was  punished.  So  Ananias  and 
Sapphira  thought  to  hide  what  they  had  done,  but  their 
covetousness  and  deceit  were  exposed  before  all,  and  they 
suffered  the  penalty  of  death.  Israel  was  victorious  so 
soon  as  the  hidden  evil  was  put  away; — so  the  Church, 
after  judgment  on  the  deceivers,  had  new  successes,  and 
the  word  of  the  Lord  prevailed.  "By  the  hands  of  the 
apostles  were  many  signs  and  wonders  wrought  among  the 
people,  and  believers  were  the  more  added  unto  the  Lord, 
multitudes  both  of  men  and  women."  * 

Joshua  led  the  tribes  to  many  battle-fields.  Christ  led 
the  Church,  under  such  officers  as  Peter,  John,  Paul,  and 
others  of  smaller  fame  but  like  precious  faith,  into  many 
and  severe  bottles ;  at  Samaria,  Antioch,  Damascus, 
Lystra,  Derbe,  Philippi,  Thessalonica,  Corinth,  Ephesus, 
and  Pome.  Some  good  soldiers  of  Christ  lost  their  lives 
for  His  sake  in  the  struggle.  It  was  to  them  no  loss,  but 
great  gain,  and  the  good  cause  went  forward.  The  Gospel 
was  spread  abroad  in  the  face  of  all  that  wicked  men  or 
heathen  demons  could  do  to  j>revent  it,  and  the  plantation 
of  organised  Churches,  with  elders  in  every  city,  was  as 

*  Acts  v.  12-14. 


60  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

the  settlement  of  the  tribes  in  their  inheritances,  to  possess 
the  land  for  God. 

Worship  centred  at  Shiloh=in  peace. — The  Church  has 
not  one  central  place  on  earth,  but  it  has  one  sanctuary, 
and  one  element  of  worship — holy  peace.  We  have  to 
fight  in  many  places,  and  with  many  foes,  but  we  worship 
spiritually  only  in  one  holy  place,  through  one  Name,  and 
in  the  Shiloh  of  Gospel  peace. 

Alas !  Canaanites  left  in  the  land  corrupted  Israel. 
Some  of  the  tribes  put  the  natives  to  tribute,  insensibly 
adopted  their  idolatries,  and,  in  the  end,  became  weaker 
than  they,  and  actually  had  to  serve  the  Canaanites.  So 
in  the  Church,  Jewish  traditions,  heathen  errors  and  cus- 
toms, and  vain  speculations  were  allowed  to  remain,  and 
mix  themselves  with  the  Gospel.  It  was  thought  that 
they  would  be  useful  in  service,  or  in  paying  tribute,  but 
the  result  was  corruption  of  faith,  worship,  and  life.  Many 
Churches  lost  their  liberty,  and  were  beguiled  of  their 
reward.  Indeed,  these  evils  continue  to  this  very  day.  It 
is  a  plague  in  all  the  Churches,  that  the  Canaanite  is  yet  in 
the  house  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts. 

No  wonder  that  there  follows  the  troubled  Book 
of  Judges,  and  a  parallel  to  it  also  in  the  confusions 
and  vicissitudes  that  have  marked  the  history  of  the 
Church. 

2.  To  individual  Christian  experience. — The  book  before 
us  sets  forth  the  wrestlings  of  the  "  heirs  of  God  and  joint 
heirs  with  Christ,"  their  contendings  with  deadly  foes. 
An  Israelite  under  Joshua  had  to  fight  with  flesh  and 
blood,  in  order  to  obtain  temporal  blessings  in  earthly 
places.     A  Christian,  under  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  has  to 


JOSHUA.  81 

fight  with  spiritual  wickedness,  in  order  to  enjoy  eternal 
dlessings  in  heavenly  places. 

You  begin  this,  0  Christian,  by  death,  burial,  and  re- 
surrection with  Christ — separated  by  those  waters  of  Jordan 
from  the  Moses  or  Law  under  which  you  were  bound. 
Crucified  with  Christ,  nevertheless  you  live.  And,  as  an 
Israelite  who  had  come  up  out  of  the  swellings  of  Jordan 
was  led  to  Gil  gal,  and  had,  as  his  first  painful  duty,  to 
submit  to  circumcision  of  the  flesh,  so,  when  you  emerge 
and  rise  up  together  with  Christ,  you  must,  as  counting 
yourself  to  have  died  and  risen,  "  mortify  therefore  your 
members  which  are  upon  the  earth."*  At  this  Gilgal,  too, 
this  first  station,  consider  well  and  enjoy  Christ,  your  pass 
over,  sacrificed  for  you.  Before  you  can  fight  the  fight  of 
faith,  you  must  eat  His  flesh  and  drink  His  blood.  Corn 
of  the  land  is  also  ready  to  your  need,  for  the  place  of  con- 
flict is  also  sure  to  prove  a  place  of  spiritual  nourishment. 

Now,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  set  up  your  banners, 
take  the  aggressive,  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith,  and  lay 
hold  on  eternal  life.  Some  walled  Jericho  bars  your  way 
—only  have  faith  in  God,  and  the  walls  shall  fall  flat  to 
the  ground.  If  you  should  have  defeat  after  such  a  vic- 
tory, diligently  inquire,  have  great  searchings  of  heart,  till 
the  Achan  in  your  bosom  is  detected  and  slain.  Very 
likely,  it  will  prove  to  be  some  temptation  of  gold,  or  pride 
of  life,  that  has  compromised  your  integrity.  When  the 
evil  is  utterly  abhorred  and  renounced,  you  shall  have 
new  victories,  and  your  valley  of  trouble  will  unfold  a  door 
of  hope.  And  so,  on  and  on,  till  you  get  your  bright 
inheritance.    If  indeed  you  make  leagues  when  you  should 

*  Col.  iii.  1-7. 

F 


32  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

make  conquests,  the  inheritance  will  be  meagre.  But  if 
you  fight  faithfully,  not  even  the  Anakim  of  spiritual 
wickedness  can  withstand  you.  You  shall  have  a  large 
possession,  and  "  stand  in  your  lot  at  the  end  of  the  days." 
Joshua  himself  was  an  heir,  and  his  inheritance  was  in 
the  midst  of  the  land.  Jesus  Christ  is  "  Heir  of  all  things," 
and  He  is  in  the  midst,  and  all  the  heirs  of  God  are 
grouped  around  Him.  Joshua  died,  but  the  Captain  of 
our  salvation  dies  no  more,  and  our  inheritance  no  one  can 
take  from  us,  because  we  hold  it  of  Him,  and  with  Him, 
who  lives  for  ever  and  ever. 

"  Stand  then  in  His  great  might, 
With  all  His  strength  endued, 
But  take,  to  arm  you  for  the  fight, 
The  panoply  of  God. 

"  From  strength  to  strength  go  on, 
Wrestle,  and  fight,  and  pray, 
Tread  all  the  powers  of  darkness  down, 
And  win  the  well-fought  day." 


JUDGES. 

This  is  a  disappointing  book  as  regards  the  moral  and 
religions  condition  of  Israel,  but  rich  in  varied  interest, 
telling  us  the  most  romantic  incidents, — depicting  ancient 
manners,  and  illustrating  the  union  of  the  Hebrew  faith 
with  the  rough  heroism  of  troublous  times.  The  history 
"overs  nearly  four  centuries.  The  writer  is  unknown. 
The  Jews  ascribe  the  work  to  Samuel,  and  there  are  good 
reasons  for  assigning  it  either  to  him  or  to  some  other 
prophet  living  in  the  early  part  of  the  reign  of  King  Saul. 
That  it  was  composed  or  compiled  after  the  institution  of 
the  kingdom  is  implied  by  the  repeated  expression,  "  In 
those  days,  when  there  was  no  king  in  Israel."  And  that 
it  was  composed  before  the  kingdom  fell  to  David  appears 
from  the  statement  in  the  first  chapter,  that  "the  Jebusites 
dwell  with  the  children  of  Benjamin  in  Jerusalem  unto 
this  day."  Now,  we  know  that  one  of  the  first  acts  of 
King  David  was  to  expel  the  Jebusites  from  Jerusalem, 
and  therefore  fix  the  date  of  the  authorship  of  this  book 
in  the  time  of  Saul. 

The  Judges  are  the  Deliverers  raised  up  by  the  God  of 
Israel  to  rescue  His  people  from  the  power  of  their  enemies. 
The  rank  was  not  hereditary  in  any  family,  nor  was  the 
dignity  confined  to  any  one  tribe.     The  title  Shophetim 


61  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

seems  to  have  "been  taken  from  the  Canaanites  or  Phoeni- 
cians. The  Carthaginians  carried  the  name  from  Phoenicia, 
and  their  rulers  in  the  time  of  the  Punic  Wars  are  termed 
the  Suffetes  by  the  Eoman  historian,  Livy.  The  Hebrew 
Shqphetim,  however,  had  no  regularly  constituted  magis- 
tracy, but  an  extraordinary  and  exceptional  authority.  The 
people  they  governed  were  semi-barbarous ;  their  manners 
were  rough,  and  the  period  almost  anarchic. 

I.  The  introduction  to  the  history  occupies  two  chapters, 
and  a  few  verses  of  the  third.  We  are  informed  that  some 
of  the  tribes,  after  the  death  of  Joshua,  continued  their 
war  with  the  Canaanites  who  remained  in  the  country,  but 
they  stopped  short,  and  allowed  their  enemies  to  retain 
nearly  all  the  sea-coast,  and  several  strongholds  in  the 
interior.  The  result  was,  in  the  next  generation,  a  decay 
of  faith  and  corruption  of  life  among  the  Israelites.  The 
defeated  system  had  its  revenge  in  adulterating  and  en- 
feebling that  which  had  conquered  it.  The  Canaanite 
idolatry  did  more  damage  than  the  Canaanite  sword,  for 
the  children  of  Israel  were  beguiled,  and  actually  forsook 
Jehovah,  the  God  of  Abraham,  and  Moses,  and  Joshua, 
to  serve  the  Phoenician  deities,  Baal  and  Ashtoreth. 

So  this  book  begins  with  the  failure  of  Israel,  their  lack 
of  persevering  energy,  and  their  adoption  of  the  very 
heathenism  which  God  had  sent  them  to  drive  from  His 
land.  He  called  them  to  repentance  at  Bochim ;  but  they 
relapsed  and  intermarried  with  the  Canaanites.  "And 
the  children  of  Israel  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and 
forgat  the  Lord  their  God,  and  served  Baalim  and  the 
groves."  *     The  results  were,  first,  corruption  from  within, 

*  Judges  iii.  7. 


JUDGES.  85 

then  oppression  and  hostility  from  without;  and  Israel, 
forgetting  the  Lord  who  had  set  them  free,  had  to  pass 
again  under  yokes  of  bondage. 

II.  The  main  history — the  body  of  the  work — describes 
a  succession  of  foreign  invasions  and  conquests,  cries  of 
distress  from  Israel  to  Jehovah,  and  His  deliverances  of 
the  oppressed  through  the  prowess  of  the  Judges. 

There  are  six  conquests  and  redemptions, — 


Oppressors. 

Deliverers. 

1.  Mesopotamians. 

Othniel. 

2.  Moabites. 

Ehud. 

3.  North  Canaanites. 

Deborah  and  Barak. 

4,  Midianites. 

Gideon. 

5.  Ammonites. 

Jephthah. 

6.  Philistines. 

Samson. 

1.  A  Mesopotamian  king  first  invaded  the  land,  and 
held  Israel  under  his  yoke  for  eight  years.  Of  him  we 
know  nothing  further,  and  he  is  the  only  invader  from  the 
far  east,  during  all  the  period  covered  by  this  book.  When 
the  children  of  Israel  cried  to  God,  He  gave  them  a  cham- 
pion in  Othniel,  the  valiant  nephew  and  son-in-law  of 
Caleb,  a  powerful  prince  or  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah. 
"  The  spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon  him,  and  he  judged 
Israel,  and  wrent  out  to  war:  and  the  Lord  delivered 
Chushan-Itishathaim,  king  of  Mesopotamia,  into  his  hand." 
Forty  years  of  peace  succeeded,  but  then,  after  Othniel's 
death,  the  people  fell  back  into  their  old  sins.  The  penally 
was, — 

2.  A  second  yoke  of  bondage.  The  king  of  Moab,  aided 
by  the  Ammonites  and  Amalekites,  smote  Israel,  and  pos- 
sessed himself  of  Jericho.  His  mastery  continued  for 
eighteen  years.     But  again  Israel  cried  unto  the  Lord,  and 


86  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

got  deliverance,  though  in  a  manner  less  glorious  than  the 
open  war  which  Othniel  had  led.  A  wily  Benjamite 
obtained  admission  to  the  presence  of  the  portly  king 
Eglon,  assassinated  him,  and  escaped.  Then,  calling  his 
countrymen  to  the  rescue,  he  intercepted  the  flying 
Moabites  at  the  fords  of  the  Jordan,  and  slew  them  to  a 
man.     "  Then  the  land  had  rest  fourscore  years." 

The  Philistines  were  the  next  to  make  an  inroad  on 
Israel.  We  shall  hear  more  of  them  hereafter.  Like  the 
Israelites,  they  had  not  been  long  in  the  land,  and  are 
supposed  to  have  crossed  over  to  the  shores  of  Asia  from 
Crete  and  other  islands.  They  were  bitter  enemies  of 
God's  peculiar  people,  and  yet,  curiously  enough,  their 
name  is  stamped  upon  the  promised  land  in  one  of  its 
favourite  designations,  for  Palestine  is  just  the  land  of 
Philistia.  Their  first  attack  seems  to  have  been  easily 
repulsed  by  a  warrior  named  Shamgar,  who  made  great 
slaughter  with  an  ox-goad — a  long  staff,  shod  with  iron — a 
primitive  weapon,  but  formidable  in  the  hands  of  a  mighty 
man. 

The  children  of  Israel,  however,  were  their  own  greatest 
enemies.  Too  carnally  minded  to  preserve  the  faith  and 
worship  established  by  Moses,  they  relapsed  again  and 
again  into  the  habits  of  the  tribes  around  them.  So  they 
sutler ed  more  and  more. 

3.  A  formidable  northern  king  of  Canaanites,  named 
Jabin,  subdued  the  degenerate  nation,  and  held  them 
under  his  yoke  for  twenty  long  years.  They  felt  them- 
selves helpless  under  the  military  power  of  Jabin,  whose 
general,  Sisera,  could  bring  nine  hundred  war  chariots  into 
the  field,  while  Israel  had  not  one.     Again  the  people 


JUDGES.  87 

cried  unto  the  Lord,  and  again  deliverance  came.  Deborah, 
a  prophetess,  "was  the  divine  instrument  for  rousing  the 
fallen  nation.  It  was  her  custom  to  sit  with  primitive  sim- 
plicity under  a  palm  tree,  hard  by  the  place  where  an 
earlier  Deborah — the  nurse  of  Eebecca — was  buried  under 
an  oak  Thither  she  summoned  Barak,  a  northern  warrior, 
one  of  that  tribe  of  Naphthali  which  was  nearest  to  the 
fortress  of  King  Jabin,  and  therefore  suffered  at  his  hand 
most  heavily.  She  delivered  to  Barak  the  command  of 
the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  that  he  should  lead  a  patriot  army 
against  the  host  of  Sisera.  She  even  accompanied  him  on 
his  way  to  rouse  the  tribes.  Zebulon  and  JSTaphthali  re- 
sponded well  to  the  summons ;  Dan  and  Asher  on  the  sea- 
shore did  not.  After  much  debate,  Beuben  and  others, 
settled  on  the  east  of  the  Jordan,  came  not  up.  The 
dwellers  in  the  town  of  Meroz  were  stigmatised  as  shame- 
fully inactive.  But  Barak  took  the  field  with  ten  thousand 
infantry.  In  the  great  battle  which  ensued,  a  heavy  storm, 
beating  in  the  faces  of  the  Canaanites,  threw  them  into 
confusion,  and  they  were  routed  with  terrible  slaughter, — 
their  chariots  and  horses  only  hindering  them  in  the 
marshy  ground,  and  the  swellings  oi  the  river  Kishon. 
Sisera  himself  fled  for  his  liie,  but  was  murdered  in  sleep 
by  a  Bedouin  woman,  in  whose  tent  he  sought  shelter. 
The  success  of  that  memorable  day  is  celebrated  in  an  ode 
of  wonderful  poetic  fire,  composed  by  Deborah, — the  only 
outpouring  of  the  prophetic  soul  on  record,  from  the  death 
of  Moses  till  we  reach  the  times  of  Hannah  and  Samuel. 

Again  the  land  had  rest;  but,  returning  to  sin,  the 
people  fell  again  under  the  yoke  of  bondage.     It  was  the 

4  Fourth  oppression.   The  Midianites  from  Arabia  were 


88  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

now  the  invaders.  They  swept  away  the  produce  of  the 
fertile  land,  and  left  Israel  to  the  peril  of  famine.  This 
tribulation  lasted  for  seven  years,  and  was  relieved  just  as 
those  which  went  before.  Israel  cried  in  distress  to  Jehovah. 
He  heard,  and  raised  up  from  amongst  themselves  a  de- 
liverer. It  was  Gideon,  of  the  tribe  of  Manasseh,  the 
finest  character  and  truest  hero  of  all  that  troubled  time, — 
one  who  seems  at  once  to  recall  the  courage  and  conduct 
of  Joshua,  and  to  anticipate  the  grace  and  royal  manner  of 
David.  He  had  lowliness  of  mind, — not  assuming  the  first 
position  till  God  called  him  to  it, — but  he  had  great  capa- 
cities for  command,  uniting  caution  with  firmness,  and 
wariness  in  counsel  with  impetuous  vigour  of  action. 

Gideon  began  well  by  making  war  on  the  idolatry  ot 
his  own  neighbourhood,  overthrowing  the  altar  of  Baal, 
and  establishing  an  important  influence  over  the  minds 
and  consciences  of  his  own  people.  Then,  rallying  to  his 
standard  the  men  of  Manasseh,  and  of  those  northern  tribes 
in  which  the  spirit  of  independence  seems  to  have  been 
strongest,  Gideon  threw  himself  into  the  battle  of  freedom 
with  confidence  in  God.  At  the  head  of  a  select  band  of 
three  hundred  men,  he  surprised  the  Midianite  camp  by 
night,  and  the  Arabs  fled  with  loud  cries  of  terror.  This 
success  was  followed  up  with  the  utmost  energy,  and  the 
yoke  of  Midian  was  completely  broken. 

Thereupon  the  Israelites  invited  their  captain  to  become 
a  king  over  them  and  to  accept  the  regal  dignity  for  his 
family.  He  refused,  but  retained  for  himself  a  sort  of 
priestly  position,  which  did  not  belong  to  him  under  the 
Law,  and,  though  doubtless  well  meant,  proved  a  snare  to 
him  and  his  house.     It  was  his  mistake,  and  Gideon  was 


JUDGES.  89 

not  a  perfect  man,  but,  on  the  whole,  he  proved  an  admir- 
able leader  of  Israel,  and  under  him  "  the  country  was  in 
quietness  forty  years." 

There  followed,  however,  a  time  of  confusion.  Abime- 
lech,  a  son  of  Gideon,  snatched  at  the  sovereignty  which 
the  hero  had  declined,  and  cruelly  put  his  father's  sons  to 
death,  that  he  might  reign  without  a  rival.  His  success, 
however,  was  short-lived,  and  he  died  before  the  strong 
tower  of  Thebez,  which  he  attempted  to  burn. 

Little  is  known  of  the  two  judges  who  followed — Tola 
of  Issachar,  and  Jair  of  Gilead ;  but  they  seem  to  have 
ruled  well  during  fifty-five  years.  Thereafter,  the  sad 
story  repeats  itself.  Israel  sinned  more  and  more,  and 
adopted  the  idolatry  of  all  the  surrounding  nations.  The 
same  penalty  followed  as  before. 

5.  There  was  a  fifth  conquest  by  the  Ammonites  and 
their  allies,  who  held  the  country  of  Israel,  east  of  the 
Jordan,  in  subjection  for  eighteen  years.  Appeal,  at  last, 
being  made  to  Jehovah,  help  came  through  Jephthah,  a 
man  of  Gilead.  This  rugged  chieftain,  perhaps  we  should 
say  freebooter,  was  well  adapted  to  the  emergency,  and  the 
Lord  made  use  of  him.  He  rose  to  the  height  of  the  occa- 
sion, and  defeated  the  Ammonites  with  great  slaughter.  But 
the  memory  of  Jephthah  is  not  one  that  we  love.  There  is, 
to  say  the  least,  a  horrid  uncertainty  about  his  treatment 
of  his  innocent  daughter,  in  fulfilment  of  a  rash  vow  that 
he  had  made  before  going  into  battle.  It  was  an  age  of 
rash  vows,  as  one  may  see  in  the  vow  of  the  whole  nation 
against  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  at  the  end  of  this  book,  or 
that  of  king  Saul,  which  nearly  cost  Jonathan  his  life. 
The  last  named  vow,  indeed  has  an  ominous  bearing  on 


00  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

this  of  Jephthah.  Jonathan  would  have  been  slain  if  the 
army  had  not  interposed,  but  there  is  no  mention  of  any 
interposition  on  behalf  of  Jephthah's  daughter.  It  has, 
indeed,  been  strongly  argued  by  some  that  she  was  not  put 
to  death,  but  devoted  as  a  virgin  to  the  Divine  service. 
We  observe  that  such  recent  and  able  writers  as  Dean 
Stanley  and  Dr.  Lindsay  Alexander,  take  opposite  sides  of 
this  question .*  Eeluctantly,  we  fear  that  the  darker  view  of 
this  tragedy  is  the  correct  one.  True  it  is  that  human 
sacrifices  were  not  permitted  in  Israel,  and  that  such  an 
immolation  as  we  now  speak  of  could  not  have  been  offered 
on  the  altar  of  burnt-offering  at  the  tabernacle;  but 
Jephthah  lived  in  Gilead,  and  Gilead  adjoined  the  countries 
of  Moab  and  Ammon,  where  human  sacrifices  were  not  at 
all  unknown.  If  the  semi-barbarous  Jephthah  thought 
himself  bound  to  put  his  daughter  to  death,  it  is  at  least 
some  relief  to  know  that  the  maiden  was  not  draped  un- 
willing  to  her  doom,  but,  with  a  touching  heroism,  yielded 
her  young  life,  as  she  supposed,  for  her  father's  duty  and 
her  native  land. 

Another  painful  recollection  of  Jephthah's  time  is  the 
first  outbreak  of  civil  war  in  Israel.  The  haughty 
tribe  of  Ephraim  upbraided  the  new  judge  for  going  to 
war  without  their  co-operation.  Jephthah  had  no  soft 
answer  to  turn  away  their  wrath.  Hot  words  led  to  blows, 
and  there  ensued  a  battle  between  the  men  oi  the  west 
and  the  men  of  the  east — the  men  of  Ephraim  and  the 
men  of  Gilead.  The  former  were  put  to  flight,  and  being 
intercepted  at  the  fords  Oi  the  river  Jordan,  were  detected 

*  Vide  Stanley's  Lectures  on  the  History  of  the  Jewish  Church,  Part  I. 
pp.  357-361,  second  edition  ;  and  Sunday  Magazine,  Jan.  1871. 


JUDGES.  91 

by  a  peculiarity  of  pronunciation  in  the  now  proverbial 
word,  Sh  ibbolcth,  and  were  ruthlessly  slain. 

Jephthah's  rule  was  short — only  six  years.  The  three 
judges  who  followed  cover  no  more  than  twenty-five  years 
of  the  history. 

6.  Again  a  declension  in  Israel,  and  again  a  subdual. 
It  was  the  sixth.  The  Philistines  attacked  in  force,  and 
succeeded  in  holding  Israel  under  subjection  for  forty 
years.  But  God  prepared  a  champion  of  Israel,  in  the 
tribe  of  Dan — Samson,  in  many  respects  the  most  remark- 
able man  in  all  this  history — the  pure  JSTazarite,  and  yet 
the  careless  lover ;  the  man  of  weakness  and  the  man  of 
might,  whose  life  was  full  of  playful  humour,  but  ended  in 
tragical  suffering  and  death.  He  is  a  beacon  to  us,  to 
warn  against  fleshly  indulgence.  The  voice  of  Delilah  may 
be  sweet,  but  the  hands  of  the  Philistine  lords  are  cruel. 
The  pleasures  of  sin  are  for  a  season,  but  they  lead  to  the 
dungeon  of  blindness  and  captivity.  Nevertheless,  Samson 
is  a  mighty  man  in  this  history ;  he  delivered  Israel  by  the 
faith  which  had  previously  sustained  Gideon,  Barak,  and 
Jephthah.  All  through  his  life  and  yet  more  triumphantly 
in  his  death,  he  weakened  the  Philistines  and  poured  con- 
tempt on  Dagon  their  god. 

" Samson  hath  quit  himself 


Like  Samson  ;  and  heroically  hath  finish'd 
A  life  heroical." 

AVith  the  vivid  and  romantic  history  of  Manoah's  son, 
the  main  body  of  the  Book  of  Judges  may  be  said  to  end 
There  remains, — 

III.  An  Appendix, — to  illustrate  the  lawlessness  and 


92  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

confusion  which  ensued  in  a  time  when  every  man  did 
that  which  was  right  in  his  own  eyes.  No  part  of  the 
Bible  forms  such  painful  reading  as  this.  Idolatry,  im- 
purity, and  cruelty  mark  the  period, — a  sort  of  wild  justice 
and  equally  wild  mercy.*  Finally,  the  days  of  the  com- 
monwealth evidently  drew  to  a  close,  the  people  being  unfit 
fur  such  a  government,  or  unworthy  of  it.  The  days  of 
the  kingdom  drew  nigh. 

1.  A  few  words  must  be  said  on  the  morality  of  the 
Book  of  Judges.  No  Divine  sanction  is  given  to  any  act 
of  treachery  or  cruelty  recorded  in  this  history ;  but,  on 
the  other  hand,  no  disapproval  is  expressed.  This  is  ac- 
cording to  the  usual  tenor  of  sacred  story,  which  narrates 

*  "  It  was  a  period  of  great  lawlessness  and  of  the  most  rude  and  imper- 
fect morality There  is  a  strange  mixture  of  religion  and  barbarity 

— two  ingredients  which  now  appear  utterly  incongruous,  however  often 
conjoined  in  these  rude  and  rudimental  stages  of  the  Church." — Dr.  Chal- 
mers Daily  Scripture  Readings. 

Dean  Stanley  draws  an  ingenious  parallel  between  the  times  of  the 
Judges  and  what  are  called  the  Middle  Ages. 

"  The  house  of  Micah  and  his  Levite  set  forth  the  exact  likeness  of  the 
feudal  castle  and  feudal  chieftain  of  our  early  civilisation.  The  Danites, 
eager  to  secure  to  their  enterprise  the  sanction  of  a  sacred  personage  and  of 
sacred  images,  are  the  forerunners  of  that  strange  mixture  of  faith  and  super- 
stition, which  prompted  in  the  Middle  Ages  so  many  pious  thefts  of  relics, 

so  many  extortions  of  unwilling  benedictions Priests  and  Levites 

wander  to  and  fro  over  Palestine  ;  mendicant  friars  and  sellers  of  indul- 
gences over  Europe All  things  were  as  yet  in  chaos  and  confusion  : 

yet  the  germs  of  a  better  life  were  everywhere  at  work.  In  the  one,  the 
judge  was  gradually  blending  into  the  hereditary  king.  In  the  other,  the 
feudal  chief  was  gradually  passing  into  the  constitutional  sovereign.  The 
youth  of  Samuel,  the  childhood  of  David,  were  nursed  under  this  wild 
system.  The  schools  of  the  prophets,  the  universities  of  Christendom,  owe 
their  first  impulse  to  this  first  period  of  Jewish  and  of  Christian  history." — 
Lectures  on  the  History  of  the  Jewish  Church,  Part  I.,  pp.  311-313, 
2d  Ed. 


JUDGES.  93 

facts  without  comment,  and  leaves  them  to  be  dealt  with 
by  the  moral  sense  of  future  generations. 

Confessedly  the  moral  tone  of  those  times  in  Israel  was 
low.  The  light  was  dim,  and  men  never  live  beyond  their 
light, — seldom  up  to  it.  The  heroes  of  the  book  are  not 
proposed  as  models  for  a  later  time,  least  of  all  for  the 
Christian  ages.  They  were  stern  chieftains,  ruthless 
swordsmen,  but  they  were  fit  for  the  work  to  be  done,  and 
were  raised  up  by  God  to  do  it.  The  very  imperfection  of 
their  characters  brings  out  in  stronger  relief  the  grand  ele- 
ment of  their  success — their  faith  in  God.  "Through 
faith  they  subdued  kingdoms,  wrought  righteousness,  ob- 
tained promises,  stopped  the  mouths  of  lions,  quenched 
the  violence  of  fire,  escaped  the  edge  of  the  sword,  out  of 
weakness  were  made  strong,  waxed  valiant  in  fight,  turned 
to  flight  the  armies  of  the  aliens."  * 

2.  Of  the  application  of  all  this  narrative  to  Christian 
times. 

(1.)  To  Church  History. — As  Israel  did  well  during  the 
time  of  the  elders  who  overlived  Joshua,  so  the  Church 
did  well  during  the  Apostolic  age.  But  then  ensued  a 
time  of  evil  compromise.  The  Church  failed  to  make  a 
clean  end  of  her  intellectual  and  spiritual  enemies.  Con- 
sequently, Christian  faith  soon  began  to  be  corrupted  by 
"  philosophy  falsely  so  called,"  and  Christian  worship  by 
the  adaptation  of  heathen  rites  and  ceremonies.  Many 
things  of  Pagan  origin  were  first  tolerated,  then  held  to  be 
"sanctified  by  adoption  into  the  Church."  Because  Pagan 
Pome  had  a  Pontifex  Maximus,  Christian  Pome  took  a 
Pontifex  Maximus   also.     The   doctrines   of  merit,   holy 

•  Heb.  xi.  33,  34. 


04  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

water,  penances,  purgatory,  prayers  for  the  dead,  the  offer- 
ing and  worship  of  a  bread  wafer,  processions  of  images, 
adoration  of  relics,  and  various  festivals,  were  all  character- 
istic of  heathenism,  and  were  insidiously  introduced  into 
the  rapidly  degenerating  Church.  In  the  end,  the  visible 
Church  became  quite  heathenised.  It  is  just  what  hap- 
pened to  Israel  through  conformity  to  the  customs  of 
the  Canaanites. 

The  Lord  helped  Israel  when  they  cried ;  and  the  Lord 
raised  up  deliverers  for  His  Church  at  intervals,  according 
to  His  own  good  pleasure.  These  were  not  perfect  men, 
or  enlightened  on  every  point  of  duty  any  more  than 
Barak  or  Gideon  were ;  but  they  checked  the  degeneracy 
for  a  time,  and  revived  in  some  measure  the  primitive 
faith.  Let  any  one  read  an  honest  book  of  Church  history, 
and  he  will  find  the  narrative  disappointing  and  painful, 
yet  very  interesting,  because  so  chequered  and  eventful, — 
just  like  the  Book  of  Judges.  It  is  full  of  oppressions  and 
deliverances,  relapses  and  reformations,  revivals  and  de- 
clines. So  will  it  continue  to  be,  till  Christ  shall  sit  on 
the  throne  of  His  father  David. 

(2.)  To  the  experience  of  many. — We  get  peace  of  soul, 
rest  under  Joshua — ie.,  Jesus ;  but,  alas !  there  are  Ca- 
naanites left  in  the  heart,  and  we  yield  to  them,  or  make 
leagues  privately  with  them — not  able,  as  we  say,  to  put 
them  out.  So  we  are  compromised,  defiled,  sometimes 
taken  captive  by  the  law  of  sin  in  our  members.  We  cry 
to  God,  and  He  helps  us.  Again  we  decay,  and  He  re- 
stores us.  'Tis  a  strange  struggle,  this  Christian  life, — 
now  defeated,  and  now  victorious, — now  groaning  that  we 


JUDGES.  95 

are  wretched  men,  and  now  thanking  God  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord. 

Yet  let  none  think  that  it  is  better,  if  the  Christian 
experience  he  such,  to  have  none  of  it.  Even  in  the  worst 
times,  it  was  better  to  he  of  Israel  than  to  be  of  Moab, 
Midian,  or  Ammon,  and  better  surely  to  be  a  blind  Sam- 
son, the  Israelite,  who  had  fallen  and  repented,  than  to  sit 
in  Dagon's  temple  with  the  Philistine  lords.  "  Happy  art 
thou,  Israel :  who  is  like  unto  thee,  O  people  saved  by  the 
Lord  ? "  Foolish  and  perverse  hast  thou  been,  but  Jeho- 
vah hears  thy  cries,  and  will  not  let  thee  seek  His  face  in 
vain,  Happy  are  ye,  0  people  of  Christ!  grace  will 
bring  you  through  all  your  trials,  and  out  of  all  oppres- 
sions of  the  enemy.  Eejoice  that  your  Deliverer  is  not 
like  those  dying  men  who  judged  Israel  for  a  few  short 
years.  "  The  Lord  is  your  Judge,  the  Lord  is  your  Law- 
giver, the  Lord  i3  your  King ;  He  will  save  you."  * 

*  Isa.  xxxiii.  22. 


RUTH. 


The  end  of  the  Book  of  Judges  grates  upon  the  soul, — all 
the  more  welcome  the  history  of  Ruth.  We  turn  from 
shocking  stories  of  wickedness  and  cruelty,  and  fall  with 
joy  on  this  sweet  pastoral  tale,  showing  us  the  bright  side 
of  the  old  Hebrew  manner  of  life,  and  the  blessed  power  of 
the  Hebrew  faith  to  lighten  the  burden  of  poverty  and 
grief.  Nor  is  this  book  to  be  read  merely  as  an  interesting 
and  touching  story.  It  is  full  of  spiritual  instruction,  and 
good  Gospel  doctrine  concerning  the  Lord  Jesus  as  the 
Kinsman-Redeemer,  the  salvation  of  the  Gentiles,  and 
the  union  of  the  Church,  which  is  the  Bride,  to  the  Divine 
Bridegroom. 

The  tale  begins  at  Bethlehem -Judah,  also  called 
Bethlehem -Ephratah  (the  fruitful),  a  small  town,  distant 
about  two  hours'  journey  from  Jerusalem.  There  Rachel 
died  and  was  buried; — there,  afterwards,  David  fed  his 
father's  flocks ; — there  Christ  was  born,  who  was  "  made 
of  the  seed  of  David,  according  to  the  flesh." 

A  famine  occurred  in  the  land,  and  was  felt  even  in  the 
rich  and  fertile  country  round  Bethlehem.  Probably  it 
was  caused,  at  least  in  part,  by  one  of  those  desolating 
invasions  mentioned  in  the  Book  of  Judges,  and  famine 


RUTH  07 

was  one  of  the  penalties  of  disobedience  to  God,  foretold 
by  Moses.* 

A  man  of  Bethlehem- Judah,  who  bore  the  noble  name 
of  Elimelech  (God  is  King),  left  his  impoverished  home, 
and  with  his  wife  and  two  sons  went  to  sojourn  in  the 
land  of  Moab,  that  hilly  region  south-east  of  the  Dead  Sea 
where  Lot's  descendants  dwelt.  It  is  hard  for  us  to  judge 
the  conduct  of  a  man  in  straits  ;  but,  to  say  the  least,  that 
of  Elimelech  was  questionable  in  leaving  the  people  and 
altars  of  Jehovah,  to  dwell  in  a  land  of  vileness  and 
idolatry.  No  doubt  he  intended  only  to  sojourn  there  for 
a  season,  but  he  died  there.  Forsaking  Bethlehem  to  save 
his  life,  he  lost  it.  So  do  many  for  some  temporal  advan- 
tage abandon  situations  favourable  to  their  spiritual  wel- 
fare, and  mix  with  those  who  are  careless  and  worldly,  if 
not  worse,  and,  alas  !  never  find  their  way  back  again  to 
the  position  which  they  left,  but  die  at  a  distance  from 
God. 

This  was  the  first  stroke  to  Naomi,  the  wife  of  Elimelech, 
but  not  the  last.  "  And  she  was  left,  and  her  two  sons." 
Why  did  they  not  then  return  to  the  land  of  Judah  ?  Be- 
cause they  felt  at  home  in  Moab.  The  young  men  had 
grown  up  there, — there  their  characters  had  taken  shape, 
and  to  all  intents  and  purposes  those  sons  of  Israel  were 
turned  Moabites.  Surely  their  mother  told  them  that  it 
was  contrary  to  God's  law  that  they  should  marry  daughters 
of  the  heathen,  but  they  pleased  themselves ;  "  and  they 
took  them  wives  of  the  women  of  Moab ;  the  name  of  the 
one  was  Orpah,  and  the  name  of  the  other  Ruth." 

But  the  young  men — Mahlon  and  Chilion — died  also, 

*  See  Deut.  xxviii.  38-48. 

G 


98  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

and  of  the  family  that  left  Bethlehem  ten  years  before, 
Naomi  only  was  left.  Attention  is  drawn  to  her  isolation, 
"And  the  woman  was  left  of  her  two  sons  and  her  hus- 
band." You  see  that  Naomi  is  to  play  an  important  part  in 
what  follows.  From  all  we  read  of  her,  we  conjecture  that 
she  never  "  took "  to  Moab  as  her  husband  and  sons  had 
done.  Whether  it  was  so  or  not,  God  was  pleased  to  form 
in  her  a  pious  character,  and  because  He  loved  her,  afflicted 
her  with  repeated  strokes,  brought  her  very  low,  and  made 
her  very  lonely,  that  He  might  reclaim  her  to  Himself. 

Weary  of  Moab,  smitten  of  God  and  afflicted,  Naomi 
was  disposed  to  leave  the  heathen  soil,  when  she  heard 
good  tidings  that  at  once  decided  her  course — there  was 
bread  enough  in  the  Holy  Land.  She  believed  the  report, 
arose,  and  addressed  herself  to  her  jcurney.  But  she  was 
not  allowed  to  go  alone.  Her  character  and  example  had 
exercised  an  influence  on  her  daughters-in-law,  and  they, 
early  bereft  of  their  husbands,  clave  to  the  Hebrew  mother. 
She  suffered  them  to  attend  her  for  a  part  of  the  way,  and 
was  soothed  and  cheered  by  their  company.  After  awhile, 
she  proved  them,  and  with  hearty  acknowledgment  of  their 
dutiful  conduct  to  her  sons  and  herself,  put  it  to  them  that 
they  should  return  to  their  own  kindred,  and  being  yet 
very  young  women,  marry  a  second  time ;  all  the  rather 
that  she  had  no  remaining  sons  to  marry  them,  according 
to  the  provisions  of  the  Mosaic  law.  Her  object  was  to 
test  their  real  motive,  not  willling  that  they  should  go 
with  her  impulsively,  and  afterwards  upbraid  her  with 
having  marred  their  worldly  comfort  or  prospect  in  a  land 
of  strangers.  But  they  both  declared  that  they  would 
surely  return  with  her  to  her  people. 

So  they  went  on,  but  as  they  went,  the  words  of  Naomi 


RUTH.  99 

wrought  in  the  mind  of  one  of  her  daughters-in-law ;  and 
a  second  appeal  showed  a  different  result.  Perhaps  at  the 
border  of  Moab,  she  paused  again,  and  renewed  her  sugges- 
tion. Then  Orpah  showed  at  last  what  was  in  her  heart. 
She  had  sincere  affection  for  her  mother-in-law,  but  no 
separation  from  Moab  and  its  idols,  no  spiritual  attraction 
to  Judah's  land  or  Judah's  God.  So  the  three  women  shed 
tears,  and  Orpah  kissed  the  Hebrew  matron,  and  went 
back.  The  hour  of  decision  had  come,  and  they  took 
opposite  paths ;  Naomi  and  Euth  to  Judah,  Orpah  to 
Moab,  they  to  Jehovah's  altars,  she  to  the  vile  groves  of 
Chemosh. 

Euth  had  a  sharp  trial,  to  leave  her  country,  and,  at  the 
last  moment,  part  with  her  sister-in-law  and  go  alone  with 
a  poor  Hebrew  widow  to  a  strange  land,  where  the  law  ex- 
cluded a  Moabite    from  the   conore<ration  of  the  Lord* 

o      o 

But  a  sacred  tie  bound  Euth  to  Naomi's  side.  Some  good 
thing  was  in  her  heart  toward  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  and 
under  His  wings  she  was  resolved  to  trust.  So  the  Gentile 
took  hold  of  the  skirt  of  the  Jewess,  and  said,  "  Entreat  me 
not  to  leave  thee,  or  to  return  from  following  after  thee, 
for  whither  thou  goest,  I  will  go,  and  where  thou  lodgest, 
I  will  lodge ;  thy  people  shall  be  my  people,  and  thy  God 
my  God ;  where  thou  diest  will  I  die,  and  there  will  I  be 
buried.  The  Lord  do  so  to  me,  and  more  also  if  aught  but 
death  part  thee  and  me."f 

Naomi  knew  the  way.     She  was  returning  to  the  home 

of  happier  years,  and  heaviness  was  on  her  spirit.     All  was 

new  to  Ruth,  and  with  gladness  she  must  have  looked  on 

the  land  the  Lord  had  blessed,  and  beheld,  as  they  drew 

*  Deut.  xxiii.  3.  t  Ruth  i.  16,  17. 


100  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

near  to  Bethlehem,  a  scene  very  different  from  Moab,  a 
country  smiling  with  plenty,  for  the  barley  was  ready  for 
the  sickle. 

Their  life  at  Bethlehem  began  severely.  It  was  a  trial 
to  Naomi  that  she  was  brought  home  empty,  and  had  no 
male  relative  to  provide  for  her  wants.  "Was  it  not  a  trial 
also  for  Euth  ?  Was  it  for  this  poverty  that  she  gave  up 
the  bread  of  Moab  ?  Had  she  not  been  drawn  to  Beth- 
lehem by  a  higher  than  any  worldly  motive,  she  would 
soon  have  returned  by  the  way  that  she  came.  But  no 
such  thought  seems  to  have  found  place  in  her,  nor  did 
any  word  of  discontent  pass  her  lips.  In  the  spirit  of 
meekness,  she  persuaded  Xaomi  to  sit  still,  and  let  her  go 
into  the  harvest  field  to  win  bread  for  them  both. 

"  Her  hap  was  to  light  on  a  part  of  the  field  belonging 
unto  Boaz,  who  was  of  the  kindred  of  Elimelech."  It  was 
of  the  Lord's  disposing,  and  not  improbably,  an  answer  to 
the  prayers  of  the  lonely  Xaomi.  But  it  was  a  "  hap,"  or 
chance,  so  far  as  any  human  plan  was  concerned.  Btuth 
did  not  ask  for  the  kinsman's  field — seems  not  to  have 
been  aware  of  his  existence,  but  went  out,  not  knowing 
whither  she  went. 

In  course  of  the  day,  Boaz  came  into  the  field.  The 
scene  between  him  and  the  reapers  has  always  been  ad- 
mired for  its  simple  dignity  and  courtesy.  The  religion  of 
Israel  was  by  no  means  stern  or  gloomy.  It  said  to 
mowers  and  binders  of  sheaves,  "The  blessing  of  the  Lord 
be  upon  you."*  It  threw  the  light  of  God  over  nature 
and  familiar  life.  It  went  with  men  into  the  fields  and 
market-places,  and  hallowed  the  relations  of  masters  and 
*  Vs.  cxxix.  7,  8. 


11UTIL  101 

servants,  rich  and  poor.  It  taught  a  master  to  accost  and 
treat  his  people  as  humble  friends — not  drudges;  and 
servants,  to  consider  and  address  their  masters  as  their  true 
well-wishers,  and  not  mere  "employers  of  labour."  Surely 
the  Christian  religion,  if  it  had  fair  play,  could  do  as 
much,  and  more. 

Ascertaining  that  Buth  was  the  companion  of  Naomi, 
Boaz  spoke  words  of  welcome  and  protection  that  must 
have  fallen  sweetly  on  the  ear  of  the  poor  Gentile.  It 
filled  her  with  wonder  and  joy,  to  be  openly  acknowledged 
and  commended  by  a  chief  man  in  Israel ;  so  she  fell  on 
her  face  and  bowed  herself  to  the  ground.  Now  Boaz 
could  easily  have  given  to  her  as  much  corn  as  she  needed 
and  sent  her  home,  but  he  did  not,  for  he  admired  the  in- 
dustry of  Buth,  and  knew  that  her  bread  would  be  the 
sweeter  for  the  labour  of  her  hands.  Accordingly  he 
assured  her  of  his  favour,  bade  her  continue  in  his  fields, 
made  her  welcome  to  share  with  his  handmaidens  at  meal- 
time, and  directed  the  young  men  to  let  handfuls  of  barley 
drop  in  her  path. 

So  the  happy  day  wore  on,  and  at  evening  Buth  beat 
out  from  her  gleanings  about  an  ephah  of  barley ;  and  her 
mother-in-law  and  she  had  fresh  bread  to  eat,  and  thank- 
ful converse  over  it.  Buth  had  nothing  to  say  of  the  ser- 
vants in  the  field,  but,  in  all  simplicity,  told  Naomi  of  the 
generous  lord  of  the  harvest,  whose  name  was  Boaz.  Then 
her  mother-in-law,  who  had,  perhaps,  secretly  wished  and 
prayed  for  this,  but  had  resolved  to  make  no  application  to 
her  rich  kinsman,  told  her  the  position  of  Boaz  towards 
them.  "  The  man  is  near  of  kin  unto  us,  one  of  our  next 
kinsmen;  and  Naomi  said  unto  Buth,  her  daughter-in- 


102  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

law,  It  is  good,  my  daughter,  that  thou  go  out  with  his 
maidens,  that  they  meet  thee  not  in  any  other  field.  So 
she  kept  fast  by  the  maidens  of  Boaz,  to  glean  unto  the 
end  of  barley  harvest,  and  of  wheat  harvest."* 

Harvest,  however,  could  last  only  for  a  few  weeks,  and 
the  case  of  Ruth  was  still  a  precarious  one.  She  had  re- 
nounced Moab,  and  yet  had  no  permanent  root  or  position 
in  Judah.  Thinking  of  this,  Naomi  said  to  her,  "My 
daughter,  shall  I  not  seek  rest  for  thee,  that  it  may  be 
well  with  thee  ?"  The  tale  which  follows  needs  no 
apology,  for  it  is  quite  pure  to  those  who  are  pure,  and  to 
the  impure  is  nothing  pure,  "but  even  their  mind  and 
conscience  is  defiled."  It  may  read  strangely,  but  let  us 
remember  that  it  belongs  to  a  social  state,  and  an  order  of 
manners,  as  different  as  possible  from  ours.  Naomi  sug- 
gested nothing  that  would  shock  the  moral  ideas  of  the 
time,  while  she  placed  a  just  confidence  in  the  religious 
integrity  of  Boaz,  and  the  virtuous  simplicity  of  Ruth. 

The  joy  of  harvest  had  come.  Boaz  put  his  own  hand 
to  the  work  of  winnowing  barley,  and  having  supped  with 
a  cheerful  heart,  fell  into  a  sound  sleep  at  the  end  of  the 
heap  of  corn  in  the  thrashing-floor.  Then  at  his  feet  Ruth 
lay  down  in  silence.  It  was  the  form  of  claiming  the 
kinsman's  protection.  So  it  fell  out  as  Naomi  desired. 
The  good  man,  finding  Ruth  at  his  feet,  did  her  no  hurt 
because  she  was  in  his  power,  nor  drove  her  out  to  make 
a  show  of  his  virtue,  but  with  the  gentle  dignity  which 
belonged  to  him,  bade  her  lie  still  till  morning,  promised 
to  do  for  her  the  part  of  a  kinsman  under  the  Jewish  law, 
and  at   daybreak  sent  her  away  with   a  present  of  six 

*  Kuth  ii.  22,  23. 


BUTE.  103 

measures  of  barley,  the  earnest  of  greater  riches  soon  to  he 
bestowed.  The  toils  of  Euth  were  over.  It  was  now 
Boaz  that  would  not  rest,  until  he  had  performed  his 
promise. 

The  story  of  the  redemption  at  the  gate  of  the  town  fur- 
nishes an  interesting  picture  of  old  Hebrew  life,  and  of 
the  actual  operation  of  the  Mosaic  law  concerning  inherit- 
ances. It  appears  that  even  during  the  troubled  time  of 
the  Judges,  the  people  enjoyed  the  advantage  of  local 
courts,  held  in  the  most  public  place  and  presided  over  by 
the  men  of  character  and  experience,  the  elders  of  the  city. 
The  transfer  of  a  right  of  redemption  was  with  a  signi 
fieant  token — the  pulling-off  of  a  sandal.  And  nothing  of 
this  sort  was  done  in  a  corner.  It  was  in  open  court, 
before  the  elders  and  people,  so  that  no  subsequent  dispute 
might  arise. 

Then  we  have  the  marriage  of  Boaz  and  Euth — with 
the  first  mention  in  sacred  story  of  a  nuptial  benediction. 
In  that  benediction,  reference  is  made  to  the  patriarchal 
families,  and  especially  to  the  house  of  Pharez,  an  ancestor 
of  Boaz,  because  he  was  the  only  grandson  of  Jacob,  from 
whom  sprung  two  generic  families  in  Israel.*  Bemark 
also  the  characteristic  frankness  of  Scripture,  which,  in 
tracing  the  origin  of  what  may  be  called  the  Holy  Family, 
conceals  no  stain  of  shame  upon  the  lineage.  Tamar  and 
Bahab,  both  are  in  the  line  of  which  David  came,  and  a 
Greater  than  David.  The  reputation  of  Euth  is  without 
moral  taint,  but  she  also  took  her  place  in  the  family,  as 
a  special  trophy  of  the  mercy  of  God,  from  the  doomed 
people  of  Moab. 

*  See  Num.  xxvi.  21. 


104  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

At  the  end,  we  see  her  the  happy  wife  of  him  who  had 
relieved  her  want  and  redeemed  the  lost  inheritance.  Our 
last  view  of  Naomi  regards  her  cherishing  her  little  grand- 
son, for  she  counted  Euth  her  daughter;  and  this  little 
grandson  became,  in  course  of  years,  the  grandfather  of 
King  David.  We  see  the  women  of  the  neighbourhood 
rejoicing  with  her,  over  this  happy  birth,  in  Bethlehem. 
Thus  sweet,  tender,  and  natural  to  the  close,  is  the  Book 
of  Euth.  There  is  no  mention  of  death  at  the  end  of  it, 
and  the  curtain  falls  on  the  peaceful  family. 

There  is  a  scripture  here  within  a  scripture — gospel 
truth  under  a  veil  of  charming  narrative. 

A  Greater  than  Boaz  is  here — Christ  the  Lord  of  the 
harvest,  the  Supplier  of  wants,  the  Eedeemer  of  the  In- 
heritance, the  Man  who  gives  rest,  the  near  Kinsman,  the 
Bridegroom  of  the  Church.  "  To  Him  shall  the  Gentiles 
seek,  and  His  rest  shall  be  glorious."  To  Boaz  Euth 
brought  nothing  but  her  needy  self,  which  she  laid  humbly 
at  his  feet.  To  Christ  the  Church  brings  nothing  but 
her  needy  self,  which  she  prostrates  at  His  feet.  But  as 
Euth  was  soon  rich  in  all  the  possessions  of  Boaz,  so  is  the 
Church  made  wealthy  for  ever  in  the  unsearchable  riches 
of  Christ. 

Besides  this  general  application,  the  book  admits  of  a 
particular  application  to  individual  experience,  in  which 
may  be  found  no  small  "  use  of  edifying." 

Let  Moab  represent  the  state  of  alienation  from  God. 
Bless  His  name !  there  is  a  way  from  Moab  to  Bethlehem, 
and  the  melancholy  Naomi  and  the  hopeful  Euth  shall 
not  err  therein.    There  are   Orpahs   too.     They  set  out 


LUTE.  105 

well,  and  seem  bent  on  the  way  of  repentance  and  faith. 
The}^  are  all  the  more  zealous  if  they  have  companions  of 
their  own  age  setting  out  at  the  same  time,  and  they  really 
appear  to  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift.  But  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  proves  all  that  would  follow  Him ;  and  if  not 
at  the  first  test,  yet  at  the  second  the  Orpahs  fail.  They 
may  walk  to  the  very  edge  of  the  land  of  Moab,  but  there 
they  pause  and  turn.  Their  hearts  are  not  yielded  to 
God,  and  they  go  back  to  their  own  people  and  their  gods 
— to  the  world  and  the  world's  religion.  If  they  will  have 
it  so,  the  pilgrims  who  persevere  cannot  hinder  them. 
One  chooses  life,  and  another  death;  one  is  taken,  and  an- 
other left. 

Then  there  are  great  varieties  in  those  who  come  to  God. 
One  has  heaviness  of  heart  like  Naomi,  because  of  the 
blows  of  His  hand;  another,  like  Ruth,  has  eager  joy,  choos- 
ing simply  to  go  and  lodge  with  disciples,  to  exchange  the 
company  of  Moab's  people  for  the  fellowship  of  Jehovah's 
people,  and  the  idols  of  Moab  for  Jehovah  Himself;  deter- 
mined to  live  with  believers,  to  die  with  believers,  and 
with  them  to  be  buried  so  as  to  rise  with  them  in  the 
resurrection  of  the  just. 

The  city  was  moved  at  the  coming  of  Naomi  and  Euth. 
"Would  that  the  Church  were  stirred  with  interest  and  joy 
to  recover  those  who  have  been  absent  for  a  season,  and  to 
gain  others  who  have  always  been  far  off,  to  comfort  the 
Naomis  that  cannot  wTear  a  smiling  face  at  first,  and  to 
welcome  the  Ruths  that  are  brought  in  from  Moab  by  the 
grace  of  God  ! 

By  the  help  of  this  story,  let  us  trace  the  experience  of 
some  young  convert.     Ruth,  at  first,  had  trial  in  Beth- 


106  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

lehem — so  perhaps  have  you.  Instead  of  finding  yourself 
well  off,  you  feel  your  poverty  more  than  ever;  then 
conies  a  whisper  in  your  heart,  that  you  cannot  be  happy 
in  religion,  a  temptation,  too,  to  go  back,  at  least  for  a 
season,  into  the  world.  But  you  will  not  go  back,  who 
have  really  come  to  trust  under  the  wings  of  the  Al- 
mighty. Eather,  you  will  go  forth  and  glean — you  read, 
and  pray,  and  hear  the  word,  and,  or  ever  you  are  aware, 
you  are  already  in  the  field  of  Jesus.  And  He  is  a  near 
kinsman  to  you,  though  you  have  not  known  Him.  He 
knows  you,  and  at  the  first  glimpse  of  His  presence  you 
fall  down,  poor  and  needy,  before  Him.  Henceforth  you 
shall  lack  no  good  thing,  only  go  not  to  glean  in  another 
field,  and  your  bread  is  given  you,  and  water  is  sure.  The 
servants  have  orders  to  protect  you,  and  the  handmaids  of 
the  Lord  will  cheer  you,  and  with  them  you  shall  dip 
your  morsel  in  the  wine  or  sauce  of  comfort. 

Go  on  to  glean.  It  is  no  playing  at  religion  any  more, 
but  reading  and  hearing  for  your  life.  The  servants  of 
Christ  have  charge  ^iven  them  to  show  kindness  to 
humble  gleaners,  to  let  fall  handfuls  of  saving  truth,  and 
drop  seasonable  words  in  the  path  of  anxious  ones. 
Happy  service  !  No  work  on  earth  is  more  honourable 
than  this,  or  more  far-reaching  in  results,  to  encourage  and 
feed  the  souls  on  which  the  Son  of  God  has  lifted  His 
countenance  and  bestowed  His  love.  But  you  who  are 
an  hungered,  must  yourself  glean  and  beat  out  the  corn. 
Give  attention  to  reading,  take  heed  how  and  what  you 
hear,  go  on  with  the  servants  and  handmaids  of  the  Lord, 
and  put  forth  every  effort  to  profit  in  the  word  of  right- 
eousness.    In  vain  shall  handfuls  be  dropped  in  your  path 


EUTIL  107 

if  your  eyes  are  heavy,  or  your  hands  idle.  It  is  shameful 
to  have,  after  a  day's  gleaning,  only  a  few  straggling  ears 
and  half-empty  stalks  in  your  hand,  when  you  might  have 
had  an  ephah  of  barley,  or  of  the  finest  of  the  wheat,  full 
measure,  pressed  down,  and  running  over.  "When  you  hear 
divine  truth,  gather  it  into  your  memory  and  heart,  then 
take  it  home  and  beat  it  out  by  meditation,  and  divide  it 
with  any  sad-hearted  Naomi  in  godly  conversation;  yet 
speak  not  so  much  of  the  corn  as  of  the  Man  in  the  field 
— not  of  men  as  of  the  servants  there,  but  of  the  Lord  of 
the  harvest.  Joyful  news  !  He  is  near  of  kin  to  us,  par- 
taker of  our  flesh  and  blood,  our  Gael,  who  ever  lives. 

The  next  step  of  the  soul  coming  to  assured  confidence, 
is  to  draw  near  to  the  Kinsman  himself.  Like  Ruth  you 
must  have  rest,  and  this  is  not  a  question  of  gleaning  and 
beating.  But  how  shall  you  approach  Him  ?  how  com- 
mend yourself  to  Him  ?  Learn  of  Ruth.  Take  nothing  in 
your  hand,  go  poor  and  needy  as  you  are,  and  lie  down  at 
His  feet.  He  rests  from  His  labour.  That  you  may  have 
rest,  cease  from  your  own  works,  and  commit  yourself  to 
Him.  No  fear  that  He  will  resent  it  as  a  presumptuous 
liberty,  or  in  any  wise  cast  you  out. 

"  Who  art  thou  ?  I  am  Euth,  thine  handmaid.  My 
very  name  is  of  Moab,  and  I  am  poor  and  desolate.  I 
have  nothing — thou  art  rich  and  great,  protect  me — for 
thine  is  the  right  to  redeem."  So  should  you  say,  "  Lord 
Jesus,  I  am  a  sinner,  poor  and  desolate,  but  I  am  at  Thy 
feet ;  it  is  mine  to  trust  in  Thee,  it  is  Thine  to  redeem." 

The  mind  of  Christ  towards  such  suppliants,  is  full  ot 
kindness  and  encouragement.  Suffer  the  little  children  to 
come  unto  Me  ;  suffer  the  weary  and  heavy-laden  to  come 


108  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

unto  Me ;  suffer  the  gleaners,  the  inquirers,  who  have  not 
obtained  peace,  to  come  unto  Me  that  I  may  give  them 
rest. 

Lie  down  till  the  morning.  Our  Lord  will  train  you  to 
put  faith  in  His  word  of  promise — be  still,  and  according 
to  your  faith  it  shall  be  done  to  you.  If  only  you  believe 
Him  in  the  night  and  darkness,  when  the  morning  breaks 
you  shall  have  first-fruits  of  His  love  poured  into  the  veil 
of  your  humility,  without  money,  and  without  price. 
Your  struggle  is  over ;  the  Lord  will  play  the  part  of  the 
kinsman,  because  He  is  faithful  that  promised,  and  all  that 
makes  the  name  of  Jesus  worthy,  and  clothes  His  char- 
acter with  beauty  and  force,  impels  Him  to  do  as  He  has 
said.  Sit  still,  my  daughter !  you  have  six  measures  of 
barley  at  once,  as  an  earnest  of  your  inheritance,  and  be- 
cause you  have  lain  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  you  shall  dwell 
in  His  house  for  ever. 

Now  are  you  near  to  the  joy  of  union,  and  the  rest  of 
perfect  confidence.  But  you  must  be  past  all  other  help. 
If  another  will  redeem,  let  him  redeem ;  if  there  be  a  law 
by  which  you  can  be  made  righteous,  let  the  law  save  you. 
But  the  Law  will  never  save  you  or  give  you  rest.  The 
"  other  kinsman  "  could  do  well  enough  with  the  land,  but 
when  Buth  herself  was  mentioned,  he  drew  back.  The 
Law  has  no  provision  for  the  person  of  a  poor  sinner.  So 
the  Living  One  takes  up  your  case,  and  the  claims  of  the 
Law  upon  you  are  publicly  ended  in  the  court  of  Justice, 
so  as  never  to  be  renewed.  Now  Jesus  Christ  is  your 
Bedeemer ;  and  not  only  your  inheritance  is  redeemed  by 
Him,  but  yourself  also. 

Then  marriage,  and  no  more  poverty,  for  all  things  are 


RUTH.  109 

yours,  and  you  are  Christ's ;  and  no  more  death,  for  Christ 
has  risen  from  the  dead,  and  you  are  quickened  with  Him. 
What  glorious  grace  is  this !  You  have  eternal  redemp- 
tion, indissoluble  union,  and  continual  access  to  the  ful- 
ness of  Christ. 


Tis  done,  the  great  transaction's  done, 

I  am  my  Lord's,  and  He  is  mine  ; 
He  drew  me,  and  I  followed  on, 

Charmed  to  confess  the  voice  Divine. 
Happy  day  !     Happy  day  ! 
When  Jesus  washed  my  sins  away  ! : 


I.  SAMUEL. 

What  we  call  First  and  Second  Samuel  form  one  book  of' 
the  Hebrew  Bible.  It  is  only  since  tlie  sixteenth  century 
that  the  division  into  two  books  has  been  marked  in 
Hebrew,  to  correspond  with  the  division  in  the  Greek  and 
Latin  versions,  which  our  English  version  has  followed. 
In  those  old  versions,  First  and  Second  Samuel  and  First 
and  Second  Kings  are  entitled,  "  The  Four  Books  of  Kings." 
By  whom  the  name  of  Samuel  was  given  to  the  first  and 
second  of  these,  we  know  not.  It  is  not  a  very  appropriate 
or  sufficient  title  even  for  the  first  book,  and  with  the 
second  it  has  no  connection  at  all. 

The  contents  of  the  narrative  before  us  are  very  diversi- 
fied, and  full  of  interest  for  the  archaeologist  and  psycholo- 
gist, as  well  as  for  those  who  read  with  a  view  to  spiritual 
edification.  It  gives  us  history,  with  all  the  personal 
charms  of  biography  superadded.  The  three  chief  person- 
ages are,  Samuel,  Saul,  and  David ;  and  about  these  three, 
the  history,  which  covers  about  120  years,  may  be  con- 
veniently grouped. 

I.  Samuel. — This  famous  man,  like  Moses,  is  made 
known  to  us  from  his  birth.     It  was  a  time  of  great 


I  SAMUEL.  Ill 

disorder  and  depression.  The  high  priest,  Eli,  seems  to 
have  acted  as  judge,  or  chief  magistrate — a  new  tiling  in 
the  Theocracy,  which  did  not  put  civil  or  political  power 
into  the  hands  of  priests.  His  character  was  feeble ;  evils 
were  not  repressed,  and  the  times  were  out  of  joint.  The 
sons  of  the  high  priest  were  rapacious  and  debauched, 
u  exemplars,"  as  one  has  remarked,  "  of  the  grasping  and 
worldly  clergy  of  all  ages."  At  such  a  time  was  Samuel 
born  in  Raman.  He  was  given  in  answer  to  his  mother's 
prayer — that  mother,  herself  endowed  with  the  prophetic 
spirit,  and  pouring  out  her  grateful  heart  in  a  hymn  which 
is  one  of  the  finest  Hebrew  lyrics,  and  which  anticipates 
the  song  of  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary. 

In  tender  youth,  Samuel  waited  on  the  high  priest  in 
the  sacred  tent  at  Shiloh.  And  every  one  knows  the 
touching  story  of  the  child  waking  at  night  and  hearing 
his  Maker's  voice.  "  Speak,"  at  length  he  answered,  "  for 
Thy  servant  heareth."  And  a  stern  message  it  was  that 
he  received  for  the  high  priest,  foreshadowing,  indeed,  the 
somewhat  severe  character  that  was  to  mark  this  prophet's 
future  ministry.  A  fine  touch,  surely,  of  biographical 
skill,  to  show  us  Samuel,  first,  a  grave  sweet  child,  "  girded 
with  a  linen  ephod,"  before  he  is  portrayed  in  his  man- 
hood, controlling  all  Israel  with  ease,  and  making  the 
haughty  Saul  tremble  in  his  presence. 

The  doom  of  Eli's  house  was  fulfilled.  The  young 
priests  died  in  battle  with  the  Philistines,  and  their  father 
fell  back  in  grief  at  the  tidings  that  the  ark,  which  they 
defended,  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  uncircumcised ; 
so  he  brake  his  neck  and  died.  It  was  a  dark  day  for 
Israel ;  the  house  of  God  that  was  in  Shiloh  was  broken 


112  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

up;  "God  forsook  the  tabernacle  in  Shiloh,  the  tent 
which  he  placed  among  men,  and  delivered  his  strength 
into  captivity,  and  his  glory  into  the  enemy's  hand ;  their 
priests  fell  by  the  sword."*  A  child  was  then  named 
Ichabod,  because  the  glory  had  departed  from  Israel,  and 
the  ark  of  God  was  taken. 

At  this  crisis,  Sanmel  rose  to  his  great  position,  second 
only  to  that  of  Moses,  in  shaping  the  course  of  Israel. 
Not  by  warlike  exploits,  but  by  force  of  moral  and  spiritual 
character,  he  acquired  and  wielded  undisputed  authority, 
and  judged  Israel  at  Mizpeh.  He  was  of  Levitical  origin, 
had  been  brought  up  at  the  tabernacle,  and  was  entitled  to 
offer  sacrifice,  but  he  laid  no  great  emphasis  on  rites  of  re- 
ligion, and  let  the  ark,  after  its  restoration,  lie  for  twenty 
years  at  Kirjath-Jearim.  His  influence  was  based  on  his 
acknowledged  character  as  a  seer  who  discerned,  and  a 
prophet  who  interpreted  and  uttered  the  Divine  "Will. 
On  king  and  people  alike  he  pressed  the  duty  of  obedience, 
"  To  obey  is  better  than  sacrifice,  and  to  hearken,  than  the 
fat  of  rams."  His  ministry  was  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord, 
for  under  his  guidance  Israel  renounced  idolatry,  and  shook 
off  the  yoke  of  the  Philistines. 

All  through  life,  this  remarkable  man  maintained  his 
lofty  tone  and  sacred  influence,  and  in  his  old  age  could 
challenge  all  Israel,  to  point  out  a  single  instance  in  which 
he  had  used  his  authority  for  selfish  or  unrighteous  ends. 
But  his  sons  were  not  like  him ;  and  the  elders  of  Israel, 
seeing  them  unworthy  of  the  succession,  and  fearing  lest, 
at  Samuel's  death,  the  country  should  relapse  into  the 
state  of  feebleness  and  disorder  out  of  which  he  had  raised 

*  Ps.  lxxviii.  61-34. 


1.  SAMUEL.  113 

it,  proposed  that  they  should  have  a  king,  like  the  nations 
round  about.  The  project  was  not  of  faith,  and  Samuel 
entered  his  protest  against  it,  on  the  score  of  its  disloyalty 
and  ingratitude  to  God.  Nevertheless,  the  desire  was 
granted,  and  the  Lord  caused  it  to  issue  for  His  glory 
in  the  ultimate  establishment  of  the  kingdom  of  His 
Anointed. 

As  in  the  commonwealth,  so  in  the  kingdom,  Samuel 
continued  to  be  reverenced  as  the  seer,  pronouncing  on 
moral  and  spiritual  questions,  and  maintaining  the  law 
and  authority  of  Jehovah.  He  anointed  the  first  king  and 
the  second;  the  political  power  which  he  had  wielded  he 
surrendered,  without  a  murmur,  to  the  new  head  of  the 
state,  taking  care,  however,  to  exact  from  the  monarchy 
constitutional  guarantees.  This  done,  Samuel  retired  from 
the  front  of  the  history,  and  died  where  he  was  born,  at 
Eamah,  his  last  years  being  saddened  by  the  unworthiness 
of  king  Saul,  fulfilling  his  own  worst  misgivings  at  the 
time  when  the  elders  first  asked  for  a  king.  Altogether, 
we  take  him  to  have  been,  with  the  sole  exception  of 
Moses,  the  greatest  man  Israel  had  yet  produced; — a 
patriot,  a  statesman,  an  upright  ruler,  a  prophet  of  right- 
eousness, one  who  feared  the  face  of  neither  king  nor 
people,  because  he  was  upright  and  true  to  God.  His 
ministry  began  and  ended  with  stern  messages,  the  first, 
in  his  childhood,  to  declare  the  rejection  of  the  high  priest 
and  his  sons ;  the  last,  in  his  old  age,  to  declare  the  rejec- 
tion of  the  king.  In  the  latter  case,  however,  Samuel's 
grief  was  relieved  by  his  knowledge  of  the  Divine  purpose, 
that  David,  the  Bethlehemite,  should  survive  the  envy  of 
Saul,  and  reign  in  place  of  the  rejected  one. 


114  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

II.  Saul. — Saul  is  a  character,  not  without  a  certain 
moody  splendour  that  fascinates,  but  with  glaring  faults, 
almost  from  the  outset  of  his  career;  and,  toward  the 
close,  a  mournful  deterioration,  resulting  in  a  tragical 
fate. 

He  first  appears  as  a  young  man  of  unusual  stature,  and 
of  that  prepossessing  appearance  and  impressive  port, 
which  delight  the  eye  of  the  multitude.  When  called  to 
the  throne,  he  appeared  to  shrink  from  the  post  of  honour ; 
but  he  soon  acquitted  himself  well  in  the  kingly  employ- 
ment of  war,  cheerfully  put  his  life  in  jeopardy,  and  with 
a  certain  vehement  courage,  rescued  the  city  of  Jabesh- 
Gilead  from  the  Ammonites  who  surrounded  it.  After 
this  exploit,  the  national  voice  enthusiastically  confirmed 
him  in  the  kingdom.  It  was  a  day  of  fair  promise.  The 
young  king  bore  himself  with  a  royal  clemency  toward 
those  who  objected  to  his  elevation.  Good  impulses  from 
the  Spirit  of  God  had,  before  this  time,  fallen  on  SauL 
But,  alas !  the  Spirit  of  God  did  not  dwell  in  him,  and 
soon  the  defects  of  his  mind  and  heart  began  to  appear. 
Samuel,  who  behaved  to  him  with  kindness  and  deference, 
could  not  conceal  his  misgivings,  and  said  to  the  people, 
"  If  ye  shall  still  do  wickedly,  ye  shall  be  consumed,  both 
ye  and  your  king." 

In  fact,  Saul  had  only  reigned  two  years  when  he  began 
to  fall  away  before  God.  At  Gilgal  he  betrayed  an  un- 
quiet, impatient  heart,  and  assumed  the  part  that  belonged 
to  Samuel,  on  which  the  prophet  warned  him  that  he  had 
"  done  foolishly."  Thereafter,  when  his  son  Jonathan,  one 
of  the  most  attractive  persons  in  the  whole  history  of 
Israel,  and  singularly  free  of  his  father's  jealous  temper, 


I.  SAMUEL.  115 

had,  by  a  sudden  attack  on  the  Philistines,  gained  an  ad- 
vantage which  soon  developed  into  a  general  and  decisive 
victory,  Saul,  in  consequence  of  a  rash  word  which  he 
had  spoken,  would  have  repeated  the  harshness  of  Jeph- 
thah,  and  put  his  princely  son  to  death ;  but  the  army 
prevented  the  crime — "  the  people  rescued  Jonathan,  that 
he  died  not." 

The  king  continued  to  fight  in  his  wild  half-heathen 
manner,  turning  hither  and  thither,  and  "vexing  all  his 
enemies  on  every  side."  But  he  did  not  please  the  Lord 
or  promote  the  Divine  purposes  for  which  Israel  had  been 
separated  from  the  nations.  The  final  test  of  his  obedience 
was  taken  in  a  war  which  he  waged  with  the  Amalekites. 
He  bore  himself  rather  as  a  self-willed  captain  than  as  the 
executioner  of  a  Divine  judgment,  and  was  rejected  for  his 
disobedience  and  the  equivocation  with  which  he  tried  to 
conceal  his  fault  from  the  prophet  Samuel. 

Then  he  waxed  worse  and  worse.  Wild  passions  shook 
him,  with  fierce  spasms  of  conscience  and  dark  moods  of 
jealousy.*  He  fell  into  melancholy,  and  his  courtiers 
trembled  before  him  as  he  sat  in  his  house  with  his  javelin 
in  his  hand  and  an  evil  spirit  brooding  over  him.  His 
very  courage  seems  to  have  dwindled,  for  when  the  Philis- 
tine giant  defied  the  army  of  Israel,  the  king,  who  had 
been  admired   for  his  stature  and  strength,  and  whose 

*  "  My  heart  now  never  beats  up  heavenward. 
Once  was  I  as  a  bird  that  took  slight  soars  : 
Now  never  mounts  my  soul  above  the  ground, 
I  have  no  Godward  movings  now  :  no  God 
Now,  from  His  genial  seat  of  bight  remote, 
Sends  down  to  me  a  ray." 

— Saul:  a  Drama.    Part  I.;  Act  5:  Scene  1. 


1 1 G  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

armour  no  ordinary  man  could  wear,  appears  to  have 
shrunk  from  the  encounter.  Worse  still,  he  was  capable 
of  ingratitude  and  peevish  jealousy  toward  the  brave  youth 
who  delivered  Israel.  He  sought  his  life  in  the  palace 
and  in  the  field,  and  hunted  him  as  a  partridge  on  the 
mountains.  At  every  step  the  path  of  Saul  now  seemed 
to  darken.  He  became  restless,  capricious,  tyrannical. 
He  cruelly  devastated  the  city  of  the  priests,  slaying 
eighty-five  of  their  number  in  cold  blood.  Good  men  fell 
away  from  his  side,  and  such  wretches  as  Doeg,  the  Edom- 
ite,  obtained  influence  over  him.*  Once  and  again,  indeed, 
he  seemed  to  relent,  and  a  gleam  of  better  feeling  shot 
across  his  soul,  as  when  David  had  generously  spared  his 
life,  and  he  said,  "  Behold,  I  have  played  the  fool,  and 
have  erred  exceedingly."  But  it  was  only  a  passing 
gleam,  soon  lost  again  in  the  blackness  of  this  tragedy. 
At  last  the  king  sunk  beneath  his  own  self-respect,  and 
had  recourse  to  evil  ways  which  he  himself  had  con- 
demned. He  had  expelled  necromancers  from  the  land, 
but  learning  that  one  resided  at  Endor,  he  stealthily  con- 
sulted her.  If  he  had  been  told,  at  the  beginning  of  his 
reign,  that  he  would  himself  repair  for  help  to  one  of  those 
who  professed  communication  with  the  dead,  he  would 
have  repelled  the  thought  with  indignation.  But  he  was 
a  man  of  that  spiritual  temperament  which,  if  it  cannot 
get  communication  from  what  is  above,  will  take  it  from 
beneath  rather  than  have  none.     "  xlnd  Saul  was  sore  dis- 

*  "  Doeg,  who  for  our  priests  no  reverence  knows, 
Pell  on  them  with  a  double-handed  sword, 
Like  a  strong-  thresher  on  a  heap  of  corn, 
And  cut  them  up  in  pieces." 

tSaul     a  Drama     Part  III. ;  Act  4;  Scene  10. 


I.  SAMUEL.  117 

tressed  because  he  had  no  message  from  God  by  prophets 
or  by  dreams."  The  scene  at  Endor  is  mysterious, 
and  is  best  left  in  shadow.  Plainly,  there  ensued  more 
than  the  woman  was  prepared  for,  and  to  her  eyes  an 
apparition  of  an  aged  prophet  was  visible,  while  the 
terrified  king  heard  a  voice.  Saul  leaped  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  it  was  Samuel ;  but  this  we  reckon  very  impro- 
bable, both  because  we  cannot  suppose  that  the  rest  of  the 
blessed  is  disturbed  by  the  call  of  necromancers,  and 
because  of  the  nature  of  the  address  delivered  to  Saul, 
which  contains  no  tone  of  pity,  or  exhortation  to  repent- 
ance, or  word  of  kindly  counsel,  but  only  upbraidings  for 
the  past,  and  gloomy  prediction  of  death  to-morrow,  to 
drive  the  monarch  to  despair. 

And  so  it  ended  with  despair  and  death.  On  the 
mountains  of  Gilboa,  Saul  perished  by  his  own  hand. 
Mark  how  his  sin  found  him  out.  As  his  first  offence  was 
committed  in  impatience  to  begin  a  contest  with  the 
Philistines,  he  died  in  battle  with  the  Philistines ;  and  as 
his  second  offence,  as  king,  was  disobedience  in  war  with 
the  Amalekites,  it  was  an  Amalekite  who  brought  his 
crown  and  bracelets,  in  vindictive  triumph,  to  David.  A 
sad  history  !  It  had  been  better  for  that  man  that  he  had 
never  been  born.  But  a  most  useful  history  too,  for  there 
are  tragedies  in  common  life  where  the  brightest  hopes  are 
ruined  by  a  wilful,  haughty  spirit.  As  in  nature,  so  in 
human  life,  there  are  easy  slopes  down  which,  if  one  let 
himself  roll,  he  may  fall  over  a  hidden  precipice  and  never 


III.  David. —  \Ve  come  to  a  star  of  the  first  magni- 


118  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

tude — the  sweet  singer  of  Israel — the  hero  of  many 
combats  —  the  man  who  drew  friendship  and  admira- 
tion after  him  wherever  he  moved  —  the  king  whom 
God  exalted  "  to  feed  Jacob  His  people,  and  Israel  His 
inheritance." 

Like  Abel  and  Joseph,  David  was  in  youth  a  keeper  of 
sheep,  and  his  secluded  life  in  the  fields  tended,  no  doubt, 
to  enrich  the  poetic  soul  within  him,  as  well  as  to  exercise 
his  vigilance  and  daring.  While  watching  his  father's 
flocks  by  night,  he  looked  up  to  the  heavens — the  work  of 
God\s  fingers, — the  moon  and  the  stars  which  He  had  or- 
dained, and  as  he  led  the  sheep  in  right  paths  unto  green 
pastures,  and  drove  away  the  robbers  and  beasts  of  prey, 
he  sung  of  the  Lord  his  Shepherd,  and  was  trained  in  faith 
and  patience  for  his  own  future  career  as  the  shepherd- 
kin^  of  Israel. 

The  prophet  Samuel  anointed  him  privately  at  Bethle- 
hem, and  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  departing  from  Saul,  came 
upon  David ;  but  he  did  not  reach  the  throne  without  a 
long  experience  of  vicissitude  and  rejection.  Summoned 
to  court  to  play  before  the  king,  and  relieve  his  morbid 
melancholy,  David  gained  at  once  the  favour  of  Saul,  and 
was  made  armour-bearer,  or  equerry  to  the  king.  He  bore 
well  his  sudden  promotion,  strong  in  the  very  point  of 
character  in  which  Saul  was  so  weak.  Patient  and  self- 
controlled,  he  snatched  at  no  honour,  and  never  entered  into 
any  plot  against  the  unhappy  monarch.  Indeed,  he  quietly 
retired  from  the  court  to  the  sheep-cotes  of  Bethlehem,  and 
waited  there  till  God's  Providence  called  him  forth. 

The  story  of  the  single  combat  with  Goliath  is  one  of 
the  most  romantic  ever  written,  and  casts  an  undying 


I.  SAMUEL.  119 

charm  about  the  gallant  Bethlehemite.  In  the  conflict, 
we  see  no  miraculous  element,  but  on  David's  part  a  fine 
combination  of  faith  in  God,  with  the  careful  use  of  the 
best  weapons  and  skill  he  possessed.  Having  faith  in  God, 
the  young  champion  kept  a  perfect  self-possession,  and 
taking  the  right  weapons  for  assailing  the  giant  at  a  dis- 
tance, and  knowing  how  to  use  them,  he  gained  the  day. 
David's  sling  was  to  him  as  a  rifle,  and  sent  the  smooth 
stone — the  bullet  of  the  period — crashing  through  the 
giant's  forehead,  before  he,  with  his  utmost  strides,  could 
come  to  close  quarters.  At  the  end  of  the  fight,  all  the 
army  of  Israel  shouted,  but  one  hears  no  shout  from  David 
— sees  no  vauntino;  in  him,  for  a  man  who  walks  or  fights 
in  faith  can  never  boast  himself  as  they  do  who  walk  or 
fight  after  the  flesh. 

CD 

After  this  victory,  there  could  be  no  return  to  the  sheep- 
cotes.  David  at  once  became,  and  ever  after  continued  to 
be,  a  prominent  public  man.  He  had  great  trials  and 
risks,  but  he  had  a  peculiar  solace  in  the  generous  love  of 
the  crown  prince  Jonathan.  Of  all  men,  Jonathan  had 
most  to  fear  from  David's  advancement,  but  his  character 
admitted  no  stain  of  selfishness,  and  he  loved  him  "  as  his 
own  soul."  The  friends  were  knit  together  by  congeniality 
of  disposition, — both  in  the  bloom  of  youth, — both  adven- 
turous and  brave,  and  better  still,  both  fearers  of  Jehovah, 
taking  no  pleasure  in  the  court  of  the  wild,  unhappy 
Saul.  In  this  power  of  attracting  and  retaining  enthusi- 
astic friendship,  David  suggests  to  us  Jesus  Christ  his  son, 
who  is  dearer  to  His  own  than  life  itself,  and  is  such  a 
Beloved  and  such  a  Friend  that  it  is  no  loss,  but  gain,  to 
renounce  everything  for  Him. 


120  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

Then  David's  history  moves  on,  through  distinction, 
peril,  friendship,  war,  love,  marriage,  narrow  escapes,  con- 
cealment in  dens  and  caves  of  the  earth,  wanderings  in  the 
wilderness  of  Judah,  and  even  the  life  of  a  refugee  among 
the  Philistines.  It  was  a  time  of  discipline  and  affliction, 
suggesting  the  rejection  and  humiliation  of  the  Son  of 
David  before  He  was  exalted.  But  David  was  not  harm- 
less and  undeflled  as  the  holy  Jesus  was.  At  times  his 
faith  was  clouded,  and  clouded  faith  led,  as  it  always  leads, 
to  fluctuating  counsels  and  questionable  conduct.  With 
all  his  faults,  however,  full  in  view,  we  recognise  in  David, 
throughout  the  history,  a  man  of  God  in  preparation  for  a 
higher  trust, — one  who  cannot  be  extinguished  or  pushed 
aside, — patient,  skilful,  ready  for  emergencies,  magnani- 
mous,— the  master-spirit  of  his  time. 

Saul  precedes  David.  Confusion,  failure,  pride  going 
before  destruction,  and  the  haughty  spirit  before  a  fall — 
these  are  the  attempts  of  the  flesh  to  set  np  a  kingdom. 
Their  end  is  catastrophe,  as  it  was  with  the  reign  of  Saul, 
as  it  will  be  with  the  reign  of  Antichrist.  The  kingdom 
of  David  follows.  There  seems  to  be  long  delay  in  setting 
it  np,  but  when  it  does  come,  it  will  be  established  for 
ever.  Now  Saul  began  with  applause  of  men,  and  ended 
with  rejection  from  God.  David  began  with  rejection  by 
men,  and  then  had  the  kingdom  given  him  by  God.  It  is 
the  way  of  Christ.  He  was  rejected,  and  therefore  is  ex- 
alted. True  that  His  authority  is  disputed  and  refused  by 
the  spirit  of  Saul-like  darkness  and  confusion  on  the 
earth,  but  in  the  end  God  will  give  to  Him  the  throne  of 
His  father  David.  Let  us  follow  Him  in  the  rejection,  in 
the  hold  at  Engedi,  and  the  wilderness  at  Judah,  and  we 


L  SAMUEL.  121 

shall  stand  in  His  court,  and  see  His  face,  when  He  comes 
to  the  kingdom  and  reigns  before  His  ancients  gloriously. 
The  Gentiles  who  attend  Him  from  Gath  of  the  Philistines, 
shall  yet  come  to  Jerusalem. 

"  There  is  the  throne  of  David, 

And  there  from  care  released, 
The  song  of  them  that  triumph, — 

The  shout  of  them  that  feast. 
And  they  who  with  their  Leader 

Have  conquered  in  the  fight, 
For  ever  and  for  ever 

Are  clad  in  robes  of  white." 


II.  SAMUEL. 

This  book,  originally  one  with  1  Samuel,  continues  and 
almost  concludes  the  life  of  David.  He  is  the  central 
figure  throughout.  Eound  him  are  grouped  many  remark- 
able men,  but  no  one  of  those  times  makes  such  an  im- 
pression on  us  as  David  himself,  through  the  force  of  his 
character,  the  versatility  of  his  mind,  and  the  variety  of  in- 
cidents and  experience  through  which  he  passed.  The 
narrative  is  worthy  of  its  place  in  the  canon  of  Scripture, 
not  only  for  its  biography  of  this  great  king,  but  also  for 
its  intimations  of  Messiah  to  come,  its  practical  teachings 
concerning  the  way  of  patience  and  faith,  and  its  piercing 
exposure  of  the  lustings  of  the  flesh,  which  war  against 
the  soul.  There  are  fascinating  passages  in  the  book, 
and  splendid  bursts  of  poetry,  but  there  are  pages  that  we 
read  with  pain  and  shame,  for  the  ways  of  David  in  pro- 
sperity were  not  so  close  with  God  as  in  the  earlier  days 
when  he  bore  the  yoke  in  his  youth. 

The  story  opens  with  his  generous  lament  over  the  death 
of  Saul  and  his  friend  Jonathan.  Had  he  been  a  selfish 
aspirant  after  power,  he  would  have  exulted,  but  his 
patriotism  was  too  sincere  to  hear  of  a  defeat  of  Israel 
without  grief,  and  he  had  a  feeling  of  kindness  even  for 


II.  SAMUEL.  123 

Saul  whom  he  ever  regarded  as  the  Lord's  anointed. 
Much  more  for  Jonathan,  "  Woe  is  me  for  thee,  my  brother 
Jonathan !"  The  elegy  of  David  on  this  occasion  is  the 
first  poem  of  the  hind  on  record,  and  to  the  present  clay, 
none  has  appeared  to  surpass  it  in  beauty. 

He  that  believes  need  not  make  haste,  and  David  did 
not  spring  at  the  vacant  throne.  His  first  care  was  to 
find  a  city  for  his  armed  men  and  their  families,  because 
Ziklag  had  been  burned.  Inquiring  of  the  Lord,  and 
following  His  direction,  he  marched  into  the  territory  of 
his  own  tribe,  and  settled  his  followers  in  and  around 
Hebron.  There  the  men  of  Judah  anointed  and  pro- 
claimed him  king.  His  first  step  was  to  send  a  conciliatory 
message  to  the  adherents  of  the  house  of  Saul  on  the 
East  of  the  Jordan.  But  Abner,  the  captain  of  Saul's 
host,  proclaimed  Ishbosheth,  a  son  of  the  late  king,  and 
succeeded  in  retaining,  in  allegiance  to  him,  not  only  the 
land  of  Gilead,  but  the  powerful  tribe  of  Ephraim,  and  the 
vigorous  sons  of  Asher  and  Benjamin  also.  It  seemed 
as  if  David  would  never  reach  the  dignity  for  which  he 
had  been  in  youth  anointed  by  Samuel,  for  seven  years 
and  a  half  ran  on,  and  he  wras  still  no  more  than  kin  £  or 
chief  of  Judah  in  Hebron. 

Civil  war  broke  out,  and  the  house  of  David  steadily 
gained  on  the  house  of  Saul.  At  last  Abner  saw  that  he 
could  no  longer  prop  up  the  throne  of  Ishbosheth,  a  prince 
of  feeble  character,  quite  unfit  to  be  a  rival  to  the  son  of 
Jesse.  He  therefore  seized  an  opportunity  of  quarrel,  went 
over  to  the  side  of  the  King  of  Judah,  and  by  his  open 
defection  virtually  settled  the  political  question  of  the  day. 
But  the  time  was  stained  with  deeds  of  treacherous  cruelty. 


124  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

Abner  was  murdered  by  Joab,  a  relative  and  distinguished 
officer  of  King  David,  partly  out  of  revenge  for  the  slaying 
of  Joab's  youngest  brother  by  Abner  in  battle,  and  partly 
out  of  jealousy,  lest  this  experienced  captain  should  have 
military  rank  above  himself,  in  the  national  army.  Tsh- 
bosheth  too  was  assassinated  in  his  bed  by  two  ruffians, 
who  thought  to  ingratiate  themselves  with  David  by  the 
deed,  but  both  the  deeds  were  abhorred  by  David's  souL 
The  king  lamented  over  Abner,  and  forced  Joab  to  walk 
as  a  mourner  in  sackloth  at  the  funeral.  The  murderers  of 
Ishbosheth  were  treated  like  the  Amalekite  who  had  boasted 
of  slaying  Saul  his  father ;  they  were  sternly  put  to  death. 
By  universal  consent,  David  was  now  proclaimed  King 
of  all  Israel,  and  for  the  third  time  the  holy  oil  was  poured 
upon  his  head.  He  was  in  the  prime  of  life — thirty-seven 
— a  very  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Juclah.  His  first  act  was  to 
choose  Jerusalem  as  the  capital,  and  to  wrest  it  from  the 
Jebusites,  who  thought  their  city  so  impregnable  that  it 
could  be  defended  by  the  blind  and  the  lame.  Joab 
scaled  it,  and  the  old  seat  of  Melchizedec  became  the  city 
of  David :  "  So  David  went  on,  and  grew  great,  and  the 
Lord  God  of  hosts  was  with  him."  Under  him  the 
monarchy  took  a  far  wider  range  and  firmer  root  than 
under  Saul.  The  dominion  was  extended  by  many  con- 
quests. The  court  and  camp  were  carefully  organised. 
The  internal  government  of  the  realm  was  put  under  the 
charge  of  proper  officers.  A  commercial  league,  very 
favourable  to  Israel,  was  made  with  the  Phenicians,  and  the 
fame  and  influence  of  the  Hebrew  King  spread  over  all 
the  East.  There  was  no  rival  power  of  much  influence,  for, 
as  monumental  evidence  shows,  both  Egypt  and  Assyria 
were  at  the  time  exceptionally  weak  and  quiet. 


II.  SAMUEL.  125 

David  now  saw  around  him  faithful  prophets,  wise 
counsellors,  gallant  captains,  a  disciplined  army,  a  loyal 
people — all  that  a  king  would  have.  But  he  was  at  heart, 
and  above  all,  a  man  of  God,  and  these  things  could  not 
content  him,  while  the  ark  of  the  Lord  was  in  obscurity, 
and  the  religious  worship  in  confusion  or  neglect.  So  he 
resolved  to  move  the  ark  from  Kirjath-Jearim,  where  it 
lay,  to  the  new  capital.  To  mark  the  greatness  of  the 
occasion  he  went  at  the  head  of  thirty  thousand  men  to 
the  forest-city,  and  found  the  sacred  ark  in  the  house  of 
Abinadab.  But  the  expedition  came  to  a  sorry  end.  The 
ark  was  most  improperly  set  on  a  car  after  the  manner  of 
the  heathen.  This  was  the  first  error,  and  it  led  to  a 
second.  One  of  the  young  Levites  in  attendance  pre- 
sumptuously put  his  hand  on  the  ark  to  steady  it,  when 
the  car  shook.  Suddenly  he  fell  dead.  At  once  the  joy 
of  the  day  was  turned  to  mourning.  The  voice  of  psalms 
with  instruments  of  music,  ceased.  The  king,  always  quick 
in  his  feelings,  was  greatly  agitated,  changed  his  purpose, 
and  brought  the  ark  no  farther,  but  committed  it  to  the 
pious  care  of  Obed-edom,  the  Gittite. 

After  three  months,  David  recurred  to  his  plan  of  fetch- 
ing the  ark  to  Jerusalem,  and  took  care  to  have  it  carried 
by  the  Levites  on  poles  according  to  the  law.  In  person, 
he  led  the  triumphal  procession  or  dance.  So  the 
solemn  transfer  was  accomplished,  and  the  gates  and  doors 
of  Jerusalem  were  lifted  up,  that  the  King  of  glory  might 
come  in.  It  was  one  of  the  grandest  days  in  David's 
eventful  life.  Full  of  faith  and  joy,  he  offered  burnt 
offerings  and  peace  offerings,  and  blessed  the  people.  At 
evening  he  returned  to  the  palace  to  bless  his  household. 


126  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

But  there,  an  uncongenial  spirit  encountered  him,  Michal, 
the  wife  of  his  youth,  retained  the  spirit  of  Saul,  her  father, 
in  David's  house.  Instead  of  being  a  helper  of  his  joy,  she 
scoffed  at  his  fervour,  and  therefore  was  doomed  to  child- 
lessness. It  is  the  fate  which  attends  those  churches  and 
individuals,  in  every  age,  who  deride  enthusiasm  and  holy 
excitation  of  souL  They  may  not  die,  but  they  are  doomed 
to  barrenness. 

The  next  thought  of  the  king  was  to  erect  a  temple,  in 
which  the  ark  should  be  preserved ;  but  it  was  intimated 
to  him  through  the  prophet  Nathan,  that  this  should  be 
the  work  of  his  son.  At  the  same  time  God  promised  to 
make  him  a  house,  and  establish  his  throne  for  ever.  This 
was  the  covenant  promise,  on  which  David,  and  all  the 
men  of  faith,  relied — "  the  sure  mercies  of  David,"  which 
the  New  Testament  declares  to  be  fulfilled  in  Jesus  Christ. 
"  As  concerning  that  he  raised  Him  up  from  the  dead,  now 
no  more  to  return  to  corruption,  He  said  on  this  wise,  I 
will  give  you  the  sure  mercies  of  David."  * 

The  energies  of  the  king,  finding  no  scope  in  temple- 
building,  returned  to  the  terrible  business  of  war.  All  the 
natioDs  round  about  felt  the  edge  of  his  sword,  and  were 
subdued,  either  by  the  hero-king  himself,  or  by  the  relent- 
less Joab  who  was  to  him  what  Sisera  had  been  to  Jabin, 
or  Abner  to  Saul.  War  is  a  cruel  occupation  in  every  age, 
and  it  is  not  concealed  that  the  wars  of  David  were  con- 
ducted in  the  severe  and  vengeful  temper  of  those  times 
in  the  East,  with  fire  as  well  as  sword,  shocking  torture  of 
captives,  and  savage  extermination  of  families. 

Yet  it  had  been  better  for  David  that  he  had  remained 

*  Acts  xiii.  34. 


II.  SAMUEL.  127 

at  the  head  of  his  army,  than  tarry  at  Jerusalem  as  he  did 
while  Kabbah  was  besieged  by  Joab.  It  was  then  that  he 
fell  into  shameful  sin,  from  which  indeed  God  in  mercy 
restored  his  soul,  but  from  which  it  is  impossible  to  cleanse 
his  tarnished  reputation.  No  right-thinking  man  can  read 
the  unvarnished  narrative  without  horror  and  grief.  True, 
that  we  must  not  judge  David  by  the  light  of  our  own 
time  or  country.  What  he  committed  was  just  the  kind 
of  crime  most  usual  with  eastern  monarchs,  and  David  had 
nothing  of  the  austerity  of  a  Christian  hero-king,  an  Alfred, 
or  a  St.  Louis,  or  a  Gustavus  Adolphus.  He  had  always 
allowed  himself  indulgence  which  the  moral  sense  of 
Christian  times  forbids.  Nevertheless,  it  was  a  terrible 
fall  for  the  man  who  restored  the  worship  of  God  and  wrote 
so  many  songs  of  Zion,  and  had  resolved  to  walk  within 
his  house  with  a  perfect  heart,  to  commit  adultery,  and 
then  bring  the  guilt  of  deceit  and  murder  on  his  soul. 

For  a  while  he  seemed  to  prosper  in  his  sin.  Happy  in 
his  ignorance,  Uriah  died  as  a  soldier  dies.  The  beautiful 
Bathsheba  became  David's  wife,  and  bore  him  a  son  whom 
he  passionately  loved.  His  conscience  seems  to  have 
slept  secure,  but  "  the  thing  that  David  had  done  displeased 
the  Lord." 

Well  for  the  king  that  the  Lord  did  not  let  him  alone, 
but  sent  to  him  Nathan,  His  servant.  Appearing  suddenly 
in  the  royal  presence,  the  prophet  seemed  to  claim  redress 
for  a  poor  man  who  had  suffered  wrong.  It  wTas  the  true 
mission  of  a  prophet,  and  the  king  hearkened  with  interest. 
Then  Nathan  spoke  that  apologue  of  the  poor  man  and  his 
ewe  lamb,  which  cannot  be  surpassed  in  tender  and  ex- 
quisite beauty.     The  monarch  heard,  and  with  his  moral 


128  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

sense  as  quick  as  ever  in  regard  to  others,  though  torpid 
in  reference  to  himself,  condemned  the  selfishness  of  that- 
rich  man  who  spared  his  own  flock  and  seized  the  solitary 
pet-lamb  of  his  poor  neighbour.  Then  came  Nathan's 
opportunity.  With  undaunted  look  he  pronounced  the 
tremendous  words — "  Thou  art  the  man  ! " — and  pressed  on 
David's  conscience,  not  so  much  his  licentiousness,  as  the 
meanness  and  selfishness  of  his  sin  against  Uriah.  The 
kinGr  recognised  the  rebuke  of  God.  His  sin  had  found 
him  out ;  his  soul  was  cleft  with  conviction,  and  bowed 
down  in  an  agony  of  shame.  When  at  last  his  lips  moved, 
he  extenuated  nothing,  pleaded  no  palliation,  laid  no  part 
of  the  fault  upon  another,  but  simply  said,  "  I  have  sinned 
against  Jehovah!"  Against  Uriah  indeed  he  had  done 
wrong ;  but  this  was  his  deepest  distress,  the  sin  against 
the  Lord.  Pent  up  in  his  own  bosom,  in  silence  and 
secresy,  this  sin  would  have  ruined  David,  but,  ingenuously 
confessed  and  repented  of,  it  was  forgiven,  and  that  at 
once.  Nathan  said,  "  The  Lord  also  hath  .put  away  thy 
sin."  Well  might  David  write,  "Blessed  is  he  whose 
transgression  is  forgiven,  whose  sin  is  covered.  ...  I  said,  I 
will  confess  my  transgressions  unto  the  Lord,  and  thou 
forgavest  the  iniquity  of  my  sin."  * 

At  the  same  time,  where  there  is  no  condemnation,  there 
may  yet  be  much  correction  from  iniquity ;  and  from  this 
period  of  his  life  David  tasted  bitter  sorrow,  especially 
domestic  sorrow,  because  his  sin  had  been  domestic  sin. 
The  child  of  Bathsheba  died.  Then  very  shocking  crimes 
broke  out  among  the  elder  children  of  the  king.  The 
lovely  Tamar — "  The  Palm  Tree  " — Absalom's  sister,  was 

*  Ps.  xxxii.  1-5. 


II  SAMUEL.  129 

dishonoured.  Amnmi,  her  half  brother,  the  eldest  son  of 
the  monarch,  and  heir-apparent  to  the  throne,  was  for  this 
outrage  slain  by  the  retainers  of  Absalom. 

The  last-named  prince  united,  to  a  most  prepossessing 
exterior,  an  unscrupulous  temper  and  a  vain  heart.  Treated 
by  David  with  partiality,  he  ill-requited  his  father's  love. 
When  restored  from  the  exile  to  which  he  had  been  forced 
on  the  assassination  of  the  prince  Amnon,  he  took  measures 
to  supplant  and  dethrone  the  now  aged  king.  The  time 
was  well  chosen  for  his  purpose.  David's  moral  influence 
over  his  subjects  had  been  weakened  by  the  state  of  his 
family  and  the  stain  of  his  heinous  sin.  The  tribe  of 
Ephraim  had  always  been  somewhat  jealous  of  the  ar- 
rangement by  which  the  Chief  of  Judah  had  become  their 
king;  and  the  friends  of  Saul's  dynasty  in  Benjamin,  and 
on  the  other  side  of  Jordan,  fostered  the  dissatisfaction. 
With  the  people  of  Judah,  Absalom  took  pains  to  ingra- 
tiate himself,  and  when  his  measures  were  ripe,  seized  on 
Hebron,  raised  a  formidable  revolt,  and  gathered  a  large 
army.  Though  he  was  himself  a  man  rather  of  impetuous 
will  than  of  cool  judgment,  he  had  the  great  advantage  of 
having  at  his  right  hand,  as  counsellor,  Ahithophel,  ap- 
parently the  grandfather  of  Bathsheba,*  and  reputed  to  be 
the  most  astute  man  in  the  nation. 

At  this  trying  emergency  the  character  of  David  shone 
again  with  something  like  the  lustre  of  his  happier  days. 
He  was  devout,  resigned,  generous,  unselfish,  yet  wise  and 
wary  too.  He  left  Jerusalem  surrounded  by  his  faithful 
guards,  the  Cherethites,  Pelethites,  and  Gittites,  and  at- 

*  2  Sam.  xi.  3  j  xxiii.  34. 


130  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

tended  by  his  most  gallant  officers,  Joab  and  Abishai, 
Benaiab  and  Ittai.  Hushai,  bis  "  friend/'  did  him  a  great 
service  in  affecting  to  support  Absalom,  and  defeating  the 
shrewd  counsel  of  Ahithophel,  who,  in  wounded  pride, 
abandoned  the  rebel  camp  and  committed  suicide. 

At  last  the  royal  and  the  rebel  armies  met  beyond 
Jordan.  In  the  decisive  battle  which  ensued,  the  troops 
of  Absalom  out-numbered  those  of  David,  but  they  were 
entangled  in  the  woods,  and  routed  with  great  slaughter. 
The  rebel  prince  himself  miserably  died.  Joab,  who  had  re- 
conciled him  to  his  father  after  Amnon's  death,  was  resolved 
that  there  should  be  no  second  reconciliation,  and,  disre- 
garding the  charge  of  the  king  to  spare  the  life  of  his  son, 
consulted  only  the  good  of  the  state,  and  thus,  in  his  stern 
fashion,  finished  the  matter.  "  He  took  three  darts  in  his 
hand,  and  thrust  them  through  the  heart  of  Absalom, 
whilst  he  was  yet  alive,  in  the.  midst  of  the  oak;  and  ten 
young  men,  that  bare  Joab's  armour,  compassed  about  and 
smote  Absalom  and  slew  him.  And  they  took  Absalom 
and  cast  him  into  a  great  pit  in  the  wood,  and  laid  a  very 
great  heap  of  stones  upon  him.  Now  Absalom,  in  his  life- 
time, had  taken,  and  reared  up  for  himself,  a  pillar,  which 
is  in  the  king's  dale,  for  he  said,  I  have  no  son  to  keep 
my  name  in  remembrance,  and  he  called  the  pillar  after 
his  own  name,  and  it  is  called  unto  this  day,  Absalom's 
place."*  In  all  ages,  the  Jews  have  thrown  stones,  with 
execrations,  on  Absalom's  tomb.  But  king  David  mourned 
for  his  son  with  all  the  intensity  of  his  nature,  "  Would 
God  I  had  died  for  thee !  0  Absalom !  my  son !  my 
son!" 

*  2  Sam.  xviii.  14-18. 


II.  SAMUEL.  131 

Then  we  read  of  the  restoration  of  the  king,  and  recocj- 
nize  in  him  the  same  mixture  of  generosity  and  forbear- 
ance with  policy  and  energy,  that  marked  him  all  through 
life.  He  showed  clemency  to  Shimei,  the  Benjamite,  who 
had  cursed  him  in  his  flight,  and  now  grovelled  before  him 
in  his  triumph.  He  expressed  the  utmost  gratitude  to  the 
fine  old  Gileadite,  Barzillai,  for  his  kindness  in  the  time 
of  need.  He  received  Mephibosheth,  the  lame  son  of 
Jonathan,  and  admitted  the  explanation  which  he  gave  of 
his  apparent  disloyalty;  but,  as  we  read  the  story,  scarcely 
did  him  all  the  justice  he  deserved.  His  throne,  indeed, 
was  not  yet  out  of  danger,  and  his  mind  was  troubled. 
The  jealousy  of  Israel,  i.e.,  of  the  tribes  led  by  Ephraim, 
broke  out  anew  against  Judah ;  and  at  a  critical  moment, 
Sheba,  another  of  the  turbulent  tribe  of  Benjamin,  blew 
the  trumpet  of  revolt,  and  drew  away  the  people  from 
David.  Now  the  king  had  so  far  resented  the  conduct  of 
Joab,  in  slaying  Absalom,  that  he  had  deprived  him  of  his 
command,  and  appointed,  in  his  stead,  Amasa,  Joab's 
cousin,  who  had  served  as  general  in  the  rebel  army. 
This  Amasa,  he  sent  to  gather  the  men  of  Judah,  in  order 
to  suppress  at  once  the  new  rebellion.  But  Joab  would 
not  thus  be  superseded,  and  gave  another  proof  of  his 
fierce  temper  and  relentless  resolution.  Embracing  his 
kinsman,  Amasa,  he  assassinated  him,  as,  many  years 
before,  he  had  struck  down  Abner.  Then,  resuming  the 
command,  he  quickly  brought  the  rebellion  to  an  end,  and 
returned  triumphant  to  Jerusalem.  David  felt  that  tin's 
son  of  Zeruiah  was  too  strong  for  him,  and  retained  him 
as  captain  of  the  host. 

The  last  story  in  this  book  shows  how  the  site  of  the 


132  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

future  temple  was  secured.  The  king  numbered  his  people 
in  such  a  spirit  that  the  Lord  was  displeased.  A  terrible 
pestilence  came  on  the  land,  and  brooded  over  Jerusalem. 
David  saw,  in  vision,  the  destroying  angel  stretching  out 
his  hand  over  the  capital,  and  he  confessed  his  sin,  and 
cried  to  the  Lord.  ■  Gad,  the  seer,  came  to  him  from  the 
Lord,  with  instructions  to  rear  an  altar  and  offer  sacrifice 
at  the  spot  where  he  beheld  the  vision.  It  was  the 
thrashing-floor  of  Araunah,  without  the  city  wall  of  that 
period,  on  the  east  side.  This  Araunah  represented  the 
Jebusites,  the  old  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  and  is  called 
"the  king."*  "When  David  requested  possession  of  the 
ground,  this  Jebusite  chief  generously  presented  it  to  him. 
The  king  insisted,  however,  on  paying  for  it,  and  prevailed. 
Then  the  altar  was  reared,  and  the  plague  was  stayed. 
The  spot  and  all  around  became  sacred  soil.  There  the 
Temple  was  built  by  Solomon ;  and  the  site  of  Araunah's 
thrashing-floor  is  recognised  at  this  day  with  almost  idol- 
atrous veneration,  under  the  Mussulman  "Dome  of  the 
Eock" 

Almost  at  the  end  of  the  history,  we  find  two  songs  of 
David,  noble  specimens  of  his  poetic  genius.  The  22d 
chapter  is  an  ode  of  triumph  after  deliverance  out  of  the 
hands  of  enemies,  and  is  almost  exactly  the  same  as  the 
18th  Psalm.  In  chapter  xxiii.,  we  have  the  last  poem  of  the 
Son  of  Jesse,  the  sweet  Psalmist  of  Israel.  He  was  con- 
scious of  something  higher  and  better  than  genius.  The 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  so  spake  into  him,  that  the  word  on  his 
tongue  was  the  word  of  the  Spirit.  Then  he  sang  of  the 
ideal  of  a  just  reign,  and  the  advent,  in  his  own  line,  of  a 

*  2  Sam.  xxiv.  23. 


II  SAMUEL.  133 

righteous  and  prosperous  Euler  over  men  ;  for  though  his 
house  was  not  with  God  as  it  ought  to  have  been,  the 
covenant  was  well  ordered  and  sure.  He  prophesied  also 
the  doom  of  the  wicked  who  should  oppose  the  Just  One. 
And  in  all  this,  David,  being  a  prophet,  sang  not  so  much 
of  Solomon  or  of  Hezekiah,  as  of  a  Greater  than  these,  that 
Just  One,  born  in  Bethlehem,  who  is  called  the  Son  of 
David,  and  of  whose  kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end. 

The  history,  as  we  have  seen,  is  crowded  with  char- 
acters. It  would  be  pleasant  to  dwell  on  the  lowly  love 
of  Mephibosheth ;  the  tried  friendship  of  Ittai;  the  holy 
fidelity  of  Nathan ;  the  lofty  courage  of  Benaiah  and  the 
heroes;  the  patriarchal  kindness  of  Barzillai;  and  the 
princely  courtesy  of  Araunah,  the  last,  not  least,  of  the 
Jebusites.  It  might  be  useful,  too,  to  gather  warnings 
from  Joab's  deeds  of  blood;  Amnon's  intemperate  passion; 
Absalom's  base  ambition;  and  Shimei's  violence  and 
meanness.  But  the  great  lessons  come  to  us  from  David 
himself,  around  whom,  as  a  centre,  all  these  characters  re- 
volved,— David,  one  of  the  rarest  men  in  history,  prophet, 
poet,  warrior,  ruler,  saint  and  sinner,  a  man  of  sorrows,  and 
yet  a  man  of  the  brightest  qualities,  and  of  the  most  de- 
vout joy  in  God. 

He  sets  forth  Christ  in  his  wars—  going  forth  conquering 
and  to  conquer;  and  Christ  in  his  psalms,  the  man  of 
suffering  and  the  king  of  glory.  But  as  a  man,  David  is 
disabled  by  the  shadow  on  his  history,  from  being  a  full 
type  of  Christ.  He  is  all  the  nearer  to  us : — he  touches 
our  life,  who  are  sinners,  and  by  such  psalms  as  the  51st, 
shows  us,  when  we  have  sinned,  how  to  pray.  David 
sinned  against  the  Lord,  but  the  Son  of  David  "did  no 


134  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

iniquity,  neither  was  guile  found  in  his  mouth."  The  Lord 
bless  to  us  the  warning  of  David's  life,  and  the  example  of 
Christ's  life,  with  the  admonition  of  the  holy  apostle, 
"Let  every  one  that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ  depart 
from  iniquity  l" 


L  KINGS. 

First  and  Second  Kings  formed  in  Hebrew  one  "book,  like 
First  and  Second  Samuel.  The  division  was  made  in  the 
Greek  and  Latin  versions,  with  which  the  modern  English 
Bibles  are  arranged  to  correspond.  Though  not  written  by 
the  same  pen  as  the  Books  of  Samuel,  these  of  the  Kings  are 
obviously  intended  as  a  continuation  of  the  history,  and 
this  continuity  is  expressed  by  the  secondary  titles  in  our 
English  Bibles,  following  the  titles  in  the  Vultmte.  These 
four  Books  of  Kings  furnish  a  consecutive  narrative  of  the 
Hebrew  monarchy  from  its  rise  to  its  downfall. 

The  tradition  is  that  our  two  Books  of  Kings  were 
written  by  Jeremiah  the  prophet,  and  it  is  probably  true. 
There  is  a  strong  similarity  in  style  to  the  acknowledged 
writings  of  that  prophet ;  and  the  time  in  which  Jeremiah 
prophesied  agrees  well  with  the  supposition,  for  this 
history  must  have  been  written  by  one  who  lived  in  the 
period  of  the  captivity  at  the  end  of  the  kingdom,  and  yet 
by  one  who  did  not  survive  the  captivity,  since  there  is  no 
hint  at  the  conclusion  of  a  restoration  from  Babylon.  AVe 
have  a  separate  and  independent  record  of  the  same  times 
in  the  Books  of  Chronicles,  but  these  are  not  so  ancient  as 
the  Books  of  Kings,  and  in  the  Hebrew  Scripture  occupied 


136  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

quite  another  position,  and  lie  at  the  very  end  of  the 
Canon. 

The  chief  matters  in  1  Kings  are  the  reign  of  Solomon, 
the  division  of  the  kingdom  into  two  at  his  death,  and  the 
ministry  in  the  northern  kingdom  of  the  prophet  Elijah. 

I.  The  reign  of  David  was  troubled  to  the  last.  Though 
he  was  no  more  than  seventy  years  of  age,  the  adventurous 
and  agitated  life  through  which  he  had  passed  had  so  worn 
out  the  great  king,  that  he  was  feeble,  and  needed  constant 
nursing.  His  weakness  encouraged  disorder,  and  still  the 
trouble  came  out  of  his  own  house.  A  favourite  son. 
Adonijah,  tried  to  seize  the  regal  position,  to  prevent  the 
succession  of  Solomon.  The  priest  Abiathar  counselled 
him,  and,  strange  to  say,  Joab,  faithful  to  David  during 
a  long  life  of  military  service,  went  over  to  Adonijah's 
interest.  He  meant  it,  indeed,  not  against  David,  but 
against  Solomon,  whose  accession  he  for  some  reason  dis- 
liked. The  aged  king,  however,  was  made  aware  of  the  plot 
by  his  old  friend  and  adviser,  Nathan  the  prophet,  and  he 
soon  showed  that  the  old  energy  was  still  within  him.  If 
the  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  was  sick,  he  was  a  lion  still. 
Assuring  the  queen  Bathsheba  that  he  would  secure  her 
son's  succession,  he  caused  the  faithful  captain  Benaiah, 
with  Xathan,  to  take  the  young  prince  Solomon,  and 
Zadok  the  priest  to  pour  the  anointing  oil  upon  his  head, 
and  immediately  with  blasts  of  trumpets  to  proclaim  him 
king.  It  was  done ;  and  Adonijah's  party,  panic-struck 
with  this  promptitude,  tied  in  all  directions.  The  dangei 
was  past,  "and  David  slept  with  his  fathers,  and  was 
buried  in  the  city  of  David." 


L  KINGS.  137 

The  kingdom  of  Solomon  was  peace,  but  his  accession 
was  marked  by  severities.  Aclonijah,  spared  at  first,  was, 
through  his  indiscreet  ambition,  condemned  and  slain. 
Abiathar,  last  of  Eli's  house,  was  deposed.  Joab,  who  had 
killed  so  many  in  fair  fight,  and  at  least  two  great  soldiers 
by  foul  treachery,  was  put  to  death.  Shimei,  too,  the 
bitter  partisan  of  the  house  of  Saul,  was  "  interned,"  as  the 
phrase  now  is,  at  Jerusalem,  and  going  beyond  the  bounds, 
was  executed.  So  perished  all  Solomon's  enemies,  and  his 
kingdom  was  established  in  peace.  So  shall  the  enemies 
of  Christ  perish  from  the  way,  that  His  reign  of  peace  may 
be  established,  and  the  righteous  flourish  in  His  days. 
The  writer  describes  David  as  charging  his  son  from  his 
sick-bed  to  put  these  men  to  death,  and  attributes  to  the 
aged  king  cruel  and  vengeful  language,  evidently  uncon- 
scious that  this  would  hurt  the  sensibilities  of  any  who 
should  ever  read  this  book.  So  far  was  the  spirit  of  those 
times  from  the  gentle  and  forgiving  tone  of  Christ. 

The  characteristics  of  Solomon  as  a  king  were  wisdom, 
justice,  and  magnificence. 

Wisdom  he  asked  of  God,  and  obtained  a  wise  and 
understanding  heart.  He  seems  to  have  had  a  singularly 
comprehensive  mind,  that  could  take  pleasure  in  many 
studies,  a  very  wide  power  of  observation  and  reflection,  a 
strong  grasp  of  all  the  great  problems  of  human  life,  and 
"  largeness  of  heart,  even  as  the  sand  that  is  on  the  sea- 
shore." He  was  the  first  man  of  science  in  his  nation,  and 
though  his  works  on  natural  history  have  not  been  pre- 
served, because  they  were  foreign  to  the  purposes  of  the 
Bible,  yet  all  wise  and  reverent  astronomers,  botanists,  and 
zoologists  may  fairly  be  reckoned  as  followers  of  Solomon. 


13S  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

On  the  gravest  themes  that  occupy  the  mind,  "he  was 
wiser  than  all  men/'  even  the  famous  Idumeans  of  the 
East,  and  the  equally  famed  scholars  of  Egypt.  Like  all 
men  of  a  full  mind,  he  delighted  to  communicate,  and 
poured  himself  out  in  three  thousand  proverbs,  and  songs  a 
thousand  and  five.  He  also  excelled  in  witty  and  piercing 
conversation,  and  such  wTas  the  reputation  of  the  royal 
sage,  that  "there  came  of  all  people  to  hear  the  wisdom  of 
Solomon,  from  all  kings  of  the  earth,  which  had  heard  of 
his  wisdom."  *  One  sovereign,  indeed,  was  not  content  to 
send  an  embassy.  The  Queen  of  Sheba,  herself  a  lover  of 
wisdom,  came  in  state  to  Jerusalem ;  and,  when  the  king 
answered  all  her  questions,  she  was  astonished  at  his  wis- 
dom, even  more  than  at  his  magnificence. 

The  justice  of  Solomon  was  of  the  greatest  benefit  to  his 
kingdom.  It  was  held  to  be  one  of  the  first  duties  of  a 
sovereign  to  sit  in  judgment,  and  his  decisions  were  guided 
by  a  righteous  purpose  and  a  consummate  discretion.  At 
the  very  beginning  of  his  reign,  his  penetration  was 
evinced  in  deciding  between  two  mothers  who  contended 
for  a  child.  It  was  his  doctrine  that  "  the  king's  throne 
shall  be  established  in  righteousness,"-)-  and  as  was  his 
doctrine,  such  was  his  practice, — judging  the  poor  of  the 
people,  and  delivering  their  souls  from  deceit  and  violence. 

The  magnificence  of  Solomon  is  vividly  described.  In 
his  days  the  national  wealth  greatly  increased.  By  mar- 
riage at  an  early  age,  he  obtained  a  close  alliance  with  the 
court  of  Egypt,  and  imported  from  that  country  horses  and 
chariots.  With  the  king  of  Tyre,  an  ally  of  his  father 
David,  he  maintained  the  most  friendly  relations,  got  from 

*  1  Kings  iv.  34.  +  Prov.  xxv.  5. 


I.  KINGS.  139 

him  architects  and  timber  for  his  great  works  at  Jerusalem, 
and  even  sent  out  merchant-fleets,  manned  principally  by 
skilful  Tyrian  sailors.  One  of  these  went  to  Ophir,  in  the 
East,  the  other  to  Tarshish,  in  the  West.  Thus  Solomon 
widened  the  minds  of  his  people  by  communication  with 
other  countries  and  races,  and  astonished  them  with  the 
gold,  silver,  ivory,  and  many  other  precious  imports  that 
his  ships  brought  from  afar.  The  internal  administration 
of  the  kingdom  was  systematically  conducted  under  proper 
officers,  and  though  heavy  taxation  was  incurred  by  the 
splendour  of  the  court,  and  the  vast  public  works  under- 
taken, the  continuance  of  peace  and  prosperity  enabled 
the  people  to  bear  the  burden.  It  is  written  in  a  tone  of 
exultation,  "  Judah  and  Israel  were  many,  as  the  sand 
which  is  by  the  sea  in  multitude,  eating  and  drinking  and 
making  merry."*  The  appointments  of  the  palace  were  of 
the  most  costly  description,  vessels  of  gold,  noble  horses 
and  chariots,  a  throne  of  ivory  with  a  seat  of  gold,  a  pal- 
anquin of  cedar  with  silver  pillars  and  a  golden  floor,  robes 
of  such  gorgeous  beauty  that  when  Christ  would  indicate 
the  highest  stretch  of  human  splendour  in  appearance,  He 
spoke  of  how  "  Solomon  was  arrayed  in  all  his  glory." 

Like  all  monarchs  with  a  taste  for  magnificence,  Solomon 
was  a  great  builder.  Cities,  towers,  and  palaces,  rose  at 
his  command.  By  far  his  most  important  work,  however, 
was  the  Temple  in  Jerusalem,  erected  on  the  site  already 
purchased  by  king  David.  Phenician  skill  combined  with 
the  Hebrew  industry  in  this  great  erection.  The  profuse 
ornamental  work  was  entrusted  to  Hiram,  an  eminent 
sculptor   and    engraver,   of  mixed    Israelite   and    Tyrian 

*  1  Kings  iv.  20. 


140  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

descent.  All  the  dimensions  were  of  course  on  a  larger 
scale  than  those  of  the  Tabernacle;  but  the  general  arrange- 
ment was  preserved — the  courts,  then  the  Holy  Place  (lit 
by  ten  seven-branched  lamps  instead  of  one) — and  then 
the  Holy  of  Holies,  where,  in  darkness  and  mystery,  the 
ark  of  God  rested  between  the  figures  of  cherubim.  It 
was  the  veritable  ark  that  was  constructed  in  the  wilder- 
ness, and  that  still  contained  the  stone  tables  of  the  Law, 
which  was  now  brought  into  the  place  prepared  for  it. 
When  all  the  work  was  finished,  the  Temple  was  dedicated 
with  sacrifice,  prayer,  and  praise,  the  king  himself  taking 
the  prominent  part  in  all  the  service.  It  is  admirable  to 
see  how  soberly  he  judged  of  his  work,  even  in  that  day  of 
exultation,  and  how  clearly  he  perceived  the  insufficiency 
of  any,  even  the  most  splendid  edifice,  to  contain  or  en- 
shrine the  Almighty  God.  "Behold,  the  heaven  and 
heaven  of  heavens  cannot  contain  thee;  how  much  less 
this  house  that  I  have  builded  ?"* 

So  far  as  we  have  traced  his  history,  this  king,  in  many 
points,  suggests  and  prefigures  Christ.  David  was  active 
strength,  Solomon,  wisdom  and  peace;  Christ  is  both  power 
and  wisdom,  mighty  Conqueror  and  Prince  of  peace.  He 
is  the  King,  reigning  in  righteousness,  to  the  gates  of 
whose  Jerusalem  the  resources  of  all  nations  must  be 
brought.  All  nations  shall  call  Him  blessed.  Prom  the 
West  the  kings  of  Tarshish  and  the  isles  shall  bring  pre- 
sents ;  from  the  East,  the  kings  of  Sheba  and  Seba  shall 
offer  gifts.  Happy  they  who  come  to  Him  now,  and  hear 
His  wisdom !  A  Greater  than  Solomon  is  here.  In  our 
"  Prince  of  Peace  "  are  hid  "  all  treasures  of  w7isdom  and 

*  1  Kings  viii.  27. 


/.  kings:  hi 

knowledge,"  good  counsels  for  saints,  words  of  salvation 
for  sinners,  and  words  in  season  for  the  weary.  Let  us  re- 
member the  Queen  of  Sheba,  and  seek  Him  while  He 
may  be  found,  commune  with  Him  of  all  that  is  in  our 
hearts ;  He  will  receive  us,  He  will  answer  the  questions 
of  an  earnest  spirit,  He  will  grant  us  all  our  desires. 

It  must  be  added  that  the  end  of  this  king's  history  is 
very  disappointing.  As  a  man,  Solomon  is  even  more  unfit 
than  David  to  be  a  personal  representative  of  the  unde- 
filed  Saviour.  Through  the  fatal  institution  of  polygamy, 
his  court  was  demoralised  by  foreign  princesses  and  con- 
cubines; heathen  rites  of  worship  were  introduced,  and 
idolatrous  altars  rose  hard  by  the  Temple  of  Jehovah. 
Solomon  began  to  be  weak  as  other  men.  Falling  from 
righteousness,  he  ceased  to  be  a  prince  of  peace,  and  the 
latter  years  of  his  reign  were  disturbed  by  adversaries. 
The  Lord  said  that  He  would  have  rent  the  kingdom  from 
him,  were  it  not  for  David  his  father's  sake. 

II.  The  history  casts  no  light  of  hope  over  the  sad  fall 
of  Solomon,  and  leaves  his  fate  uncertain.  After  his  death, 
the  old  discord  between  Judah  and  Ephraim  broke  out 
again,  and  the  son  and  successor  of  the  wise  man  being  a 
fool,  a  rupture  of  the  kingdom  was  precipitated.  Eehoboam 
retained  only  Judah,  with  a  measure  of  support  from  Ben- 
jamin and  Simeon.  The  other  tribes  renounced  the  house 
of  David,  and  appointed  as  their  king  a  vigorous  young 
chief  of  the  tribe  of  Ephraim,  Jeroboam,  the  son  of  Nebat. 
This  prince,  reviving  the  memory  of  the  great  Ephraimite, 
Joshua,  the  son  of  Nun,  established  his  power  at  Shechem. 
Alas !  he  made  Israel  to  sin  by  raising  calves  for  worship 


142  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

at  Dan  and  Bethel.  Having  spent  years  of  exile  in  Egypt, 
he  represented,  by  the  Egyptian  image  of  the  ox,  the  God 
who  had  "brought  up  Israel  out  of  the  house  of  bond- 
age. It  was  an  exact  repetition  of  the  sin  of  Aaron  and 
the  tribes  in  the  wilderness ;  and  in  both  cases,  the  sum- 
mons to  worship  the  molten  calf  is  expressed  in  precisely 
the  same  terms, — "Behold  thy  gods,  0  Israel,  which 
brought  thee  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt !  "  *  The  sin  of 
Jeroboam  proved  the  ultimate  ruin  of  his  kingdom.  The 
professed  worship  of  Jehovah  under  the  form  of  golden 
images,  led  to  the  adoption  of  heathen  rites  and  idols,  and 
the  evil  consequence  of  this  policy  is  traced  and  noted 
through  the  whole  history  of  the  northern  kingdom. 
Every  king,  of  whatever  dynasty,  who  broke  the  first  or 
second  commandments  of  the  divine  law,  "  walked  in  the 
sin  of  Jeroboam,  the  son  of  Nebat,  wherewith  he  made 
Israel  to  sin." 

The  First  Book  of  Kings  gives  scanty  information  of  the 
small  kingdom  of  Juclah.  Eehoboam  had  a  lorn?  but  in- 
glorious  reign.  His  son  was  like  him — an  unworthy 
prince.  His  grandson  Asa,  and  great  grandson  Jehosha- 
phat,  returned  to  the  footsteps  of  David,  and  "  did  what 
was  right  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord." 

Attention  is  principally  turned  to  the  northern  kingdom* 
and  its  history  is  full  of  trouble  and  violence.  The  reign- 
ing house  was  not  protected  by  any  divine  covenant  like 
the  family  of  David  at  Jerusalem,  and  the  dynasty  was 
frequently  changed.  Jeroboam's  son  and  all  his  descend- 
ants were  ruthlessly  slain  by  a  chief  of  Issachar,  named 
Baasha.     Baasha's  son  in  turn  was  put  to  death  by  Zimri, 

*  Exod.  xxxii.  4  ;  1  Kings  xii.  28. 


I.  KINGS.  143 

one  of  his  officers,  and  all  his  house  destroyed.  Zimri's 
usurpation  lasted  only  one  short  week;  and  power  fell 
into  the  hands  of  Omri,  then  at  the  head  of  the  army.  He 
departed  further  than  any  of  the  previous  kings  from  the 
true  worship  and  service  of  Jehovah,  but  he  did  one  great 
thing  for  his  kingdom  in  choosing  the  site  of  Samaria,  and 
founding  there  a  new  capital. 

The  second  of  the  Omri  dynasty  was  a  prince  of  evil 
fame,  who  married  a  Phenician  princess  of  still  more 
odious  repute.  Ahab  was  wicked,  but  not  without  some 
vein  of  good  feeling.  Jezebel  was  reckless,  cruel,  and 
licentious.  She  introduced  the  Phenician  worship  of 
Ashtoreth  and  P>aal,  and  hunted  down  the  prophets  and 
worshippers  of  Jehovah  in  a  bloody  persecution. 

III.  It  was  at  this  crisis  that  one  of  the  most  striking 
figures  in  all  the  Old  Testament  appeared, — Elijah  the 
Tishbite.  While  the  priesthood  was  preserved  in  the 
kingdom  of  Judah,  prophets  were  more  prominent  in  that 
of  Israel.  The  schools  of  the  prophets  at  Ramah,  Bethel, 
and  Gilgal,  were  all  within  its  boundaries.  Ahijah  and 
Shemaiah  were  prophets  of  mark  in  Jeroboam's  reign. 
Elijah  is  introduced  simply  as  one  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Gilead.  Of  his  lineage  and  early  nurture,  we  read  not  a 
word ;  but  God  had  raised  up  that  lofty  spirit  in  the  wilds 
on  the  east  of  the  Jordan,  to  stand  before  the  ruling 
wickedness  of  the  time,  and  to  bear  witness  to  the  truth 
signified  by  the  name  he  bore,  Elijah,  that  Jehovah  was 
God. 

There  fell  on  the  land  a  loner  and  terrible  drought.  It 
had  been  predicted  by  Elijah,  who  during  the  time  found 


144  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

shelter,  first  by  the  brook  Cherith,  afterwards  at  Zarephath, 
a  town  of  Zidon,  in  the  house  of  a  widow,  whose  child  he 
restored  to  life.  At  the  end  of  the  time  appointed  for  the 
drought,  he  returned  into  the  land  of  Israel  and  confronted 
Ahab,  not  fearing  the  wrath  of  the  king,  but  charging  on 
his  conscience  his  heavy  sin  in  forsaking  Jehovah  and  fol- 
lowing Baalim.  At  his  instance,  the  king  summoned  the 
prophets  of  Baal  and  the  people  to  Mount  Carmel.  There 
the  question  of  Jehovah  or  Baal  was  submitted  to  public 
ordeal,  and  in  the  result,  the  prophets  of  Baal  having  ob- 
tained no  response,  and  the  Lord  answering  Elijah's  appeal 
by  fire,  the  people  fell  on  their  faces  and  cried,  "  Jehovah, 
He  is  the  God ;  Jehovah,  He  is  the  God."  Then  ensued 
death  to  the  prophets  of  Baal,  to  insure  the  cessation  of 
Baal- worship,  and  to  fulfil  the  law  of  Moses  which 
denounced  capital  punishment  against  any  who  enticed 
Israel  to  idolatry.*  The  people  had  halted  between  two 
opinions,  but  the  men  who  were  put  to  death  had  no  such 
hesitation; — they  were  the  leaders  of  national  apostasy, 
and  the  abettors  of  Jezebel,  in  cutting  off  the  prophets 
of  the  Lord. 

Having  called  clown  fire  from  heaven,  Elijah  next  prayed 
for  rain,  and  it  fell  in  torrents.  "  Elias  was  a  man  subject 
to  like  passions  as  we  are,  and  he  prayed  earnest^  that  it 
might  not  rain,  and  it  rained  not  on  the  earth  by  the  space 
of  three  years  and  six  months,  and  he  prayed  again,  and 
the  heaven  gave  rain,  and  the  earth  brought  forth  her 
fruit,"  f 

The  bravest  men  have  their  times  of  weakness  and  mis- 
giving, and  Elijah  seems  to  have  suffered  from  reaction, 

*  Deut.  xiii.  6-9.  t  James  v.  17,  IS. 


/.  KINGS.  Ub 

after  his  great  encounter  with  the  champions  of  Baal. 
Hearing  of  the  wrath  of  the  vindictive  Jezebel,  he  fled  for 
his  life,  and  yet  in  the  wilderness  he  wearied  of  his  life, 
and  desired  that  he  might  die.  The  Lord  had  great 
patience  with  His  servant,  and,  after  making  terrors  to 
pass  by  at  the  Mount  Horeb,  spoke  to  him  in  a  still,  small 
voice,  and  recalled  him  to  public  service.  Elijah  had 
been  discouraged  by  the  impression  that  he  stood  alone, 
so  it  was  revealed  to  him  that  the  Lord  had  preserved  for 
himself  seven  thousand  faithful  ones,  even  in  that  dark 
time.  And  still  further  to  cheer  the  prophet,  he  was  per- 
mitted to  have  an  attendant,  who  should  be  trained  as  his 
successor.  This  was  Elisha,  the  son  of  Shaphat,  whom 
the  Tishbite  abruptly  summoned  from  the  field  where  he 
was  ploughing  with  oxen.  Elisha  gave  a  feast  of  farewell 
to  his  people ;  "  then  he  arose,  and  went  after  Elijah,  and. 
ministered  unto  him." 

The  book  before  us  ends  with  the  ruin  of  Ahab.  He 
committed  a  great  sin.  Breaking  the  tenth  commandment 
in  coveting  Xaboth's  vineyard,  he  succeeded  in  seizing  it 
by  breaking  the  ninth  and  sixth  commandments,  by  false 
witness  and.  murder.  When  he  hesitated,  Jezebel,  the 
Clytemnestra  and  the  Lady  Macbeth  of  the  story,  supplied 
the  lacking  resolution,  and  carried  through  this  wickedness. 
Ahab  took  possession  of  the  vineyard,  but  his  exultation 
was  soon  turned  to  fear,  for  he  was  suddenly  confronted  by 
Elijah,  and  heard,  in  plain  words,  the  doom  of  himself,  his 
queen,  and  all  his  house.  The  king's  spirit  was  troubled. 
"  He  rent  his  clothes,  and  put  sackcloth  upon  his  flesh, 
and  fasted,  and  lay  in  sackcloth,  and  went  softly."  But  it 
was  no  deep  or  permanent  change.     When  judgment  was 


14G  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

taken  off  from  Pharaoh,  he  was  the  same  proud  Pharaoh 
still,  and  when  Ahab's  terror  had  gone,  he  was  the  same 
wilful  and  cruel  Ahab  as  before.  God  indeed  so  far  re- 
garded Ahab's  humiliation,  as  to  defer  the  judgment  on  his 
house,  If  one  may  so  speak,  the  Lord  caught  at  an  oppor- 
tunity to  show  Himself  pitiful,  even  to  such  wretches  as 
then  reigned  in  Samaria,  and  to  convince  Israel  that  He 
was  slow  to  anger,  and  plenteous  in  mercy.  But  there  is 
no  light  whatever  around  the  fate  of  Ahab.  At  the  instiga- 
tion  of  false  prophets,  he  went  into  battle  with  the  king 
of  Syria,  and  was  mortally  wounded.  In  the  evening  he 
died,  and  was  taken  to  Samaria  for  burial.  "  One  washed 
the  chariot  in  the  pool  of  Samaria,  and  the  dogs  licked  up 
his  blood."  So  ended  the  first  part  of  the  tragedy  of  the 
house  of  Omri. 

Elijah  suggests  John  the  Baptist,  who  came  indeed  in 
the  same  "  Spirit  and  power."  The  points  of  correspondence 
are  briefly  these — familiarity  with  the  deserts  and  solitudes, 
austere  manner  and  dress,  strong  reproof  of  prevailing  evils, 
intrepid  fidelity  in  calling  all  classes  of  men  to  repentance, 
exposure  to  the  wrath  of  a  wicked  king,  and  a  yet  more 
wicked  queen ;  continuance  of  their  influence  after  death 
through  disciples,  and  the  result  of  their  personal  labours, 
that  "  many  of  the  children  of  Israel  did  they  turn  to  the 
Lord  their  God." 

The  Elijah  ministry  must  come  forth  again,  to  confront 
sin  in  high  places,  and  call  kings  and  nations  to  repentance, 
lest  the  Lord  smite  the  earth  with  a  curse.  Indeed,  Elijah 
as  well  as  Moses  must  come  to  every  heart.  Moses,  the 
law,  gives  knowledge  of  sin ;  Elijah,  the  prophet,  calls  sin 
to   mind,   disturbs    the   conscience,   abolishes    the    idols. 


L  KINGS.  147 

Elias,  i.e.,  John  the  Baptist,  prepares  the  way  of  the  Lord 
in  the  heart,  as  well  as  in  the  earth,  calling  to  repentance. 
Then  Christ  comes,  greater  than  he,  baptizing  with  the 
Holy  Ghost,  speaking  pardon,  breathing  peace. 


II.  KIXGS. 

The  second  book,  or  rather,  second  part  of  the  one  Book  of 
Kings,  traces  the  course  of  the  two  kingdoms  of  Israel  and 
Judah  to  their  fall.  It  is  not,  however,  by  any  means,  a 
mere  civil  history,  for  it  keeps  always  in  view  its  position 
and  purport  as  a  part  of  Holy  Scripture,  and  therefore  dis- 
misses with  brevity  long  reigns,  and  important  wars  and 
conquests,  in  order  to  give  prominence  to  the  moral  lessons 
and  admonitions  of  the  time,  and  to  the  religious  charac- 
teristics and  tendencies  of  kings,  nobles,  priests,  and 
people. 

I.  Of  Iseael  ; — The  Prophets,  and  the  Kings. 

1.   The  Prophets. 

Elijah  was  to  the  last  a  fiery  spirit.  In  the  beginning 
of  the  book  we  find  him  calling  down  fire  from  heaven,  to 
consume  the  men  who  were  sent  to  take  him  prisoner. 
The  next  thing  we  read  is,  that  he  himself  went  up  as  by 
fire  into  heaven.  Having  paid  a  last  visit  to  the  schools 
of  the  prophets,  he  crossed  the  Jordan  with  his  faithful 
follower  Elisha,  and  passed  into  his  native  Gilead.  Then, 
as  they  talked,  the  whirlwind  and  fire,  which  had  appalled 
Elijah  as  they  passed  by  him  at  Horeb,  came  for  him;  and 


II.  KINGS.  149 

he,  without  any  sign  of  hesitation  or  fear,  was  carried  up  into 
heaven.  Nothing  of  him  fell  to  the  earth  but  his  mantle. 
Elisha  caught  it,  and  it  was  a  sign  that  he  received  the  double 
portion  in  Elijah's  spirit,  i.e.,  he  inherited  the  position  of  the 
first-born,  and  was  now  both  entitled  and  qualified  to  take 
Elijah's  place  at  the  head  of  the  schools  of  the  prophets. 

One  cry,  "  My  father  !  "  and  the  young  prophet  turned 
to  his  duty — cleaving  the  river  Jordan  again,  with  Elijah's 
mantle,  and  an  appeal  to  Elijah's  God.  Thus  have  many 
received  a  solemn  call  to  duty,  or  an  access  of  zeal  and 
strength,  from  witnessing  the  departure  of  the  great  and 
good — catching  the  mantle  at  some  death-bed,  that  was 
like  a  chariot  of  God. 

The  career  of  Elisha  was  long  and  illustrious.  He  was 
not  a  second  and  feebler  Elijah,  but  another  type  of  man — 
an  equally  original  production  of  God,  though  cast  in  a  milder 
mould,  with  more  of  mercy  than  of  judgment.  Elijah  taught 
by  his  name  that  Jehovah  was  El  or  God,  Elisha  (God  for 
salvation)  taught  by  his  name,  that  Jehovah,  trusted  in  as 
God,  would  be  for  salvation  to  His  people.  Elijah  was  a 
man  of  mountains  and  deserts,  and  in  his  appearance 
showed  the  stern  and  startling  character  of  his  ministry. 
Elisha  dwelt  among  men,  and  was  in  garb  and  appearance 
like  any  grave  Israelite.  His  hair  was  trimmed,  he  carried 
a  walking  staff,  and  moved  calmly  to  and  fro,  on  the  errands 
of  a  man  of  God. 

Yet  after  his  first  deed  of  mercy,  healing  the  bitter  waters 
at  Jericho,  this  prophet  struck  a  blow  of  judgment.  It  was 
a  strange  work  to  him,  but  it  was  needful  to  assert  his 
sacred  authority  at  the  outset.  At  Bethel,  one  of  the  seats 
of  the  calf-worship,  wicked  striplings  called  the  prophet 


150  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

"  Bald-head,"  because  of  the  contrast  between  his  trimmed 
hair  and  the  flowing  locks  of  Elijah.  Then  they  bade  him 
"go  up,"  in  mocking  allusion  to  his  master's  ascension. 
Elisha  denounced  them  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and 
"  there  came  forth  two  she-bears  out  of  the  wood  and  tare 
(not  hilled,  but  mangled)  forty-two  of  them." 

Then  followed  a  most  influential  ministry.  In  the  third 
chapter  we  have  the  prophet  standing  before  kings.  In 
the  fourth,  he  multiplies  the  oil  in  a  poor  widow's  house, 
and  the  bread  among  the  sons  of  the  prophets.  Through 
his  prayer  of  faith,  a  woman  of  position  in  Shunem,  who 
had  shown  him  hospitality,  received  her  dead  child  raised 
to  life  again.  The  fifth  chapter  tells  of  Naaman,  the 
Syrian  general,  cleansed  from  leprosy,  by  bathing  in  the 
river  Jordan  at  Elisha's  word.  In  such  good  works,  and 
in  constant  testimony  for  God,  passed  the  years  of  the  son 
of  Shaphat.  Chariots  and  horses  of  fire  were  round  about 
him  for  defence,  as  once  was  shown  to  his  servant  at 
Dothan.  But  he  went  not  up  in  these,  at  the  end  of  his 
course,  as  Elijah  had  done.  He  sickened  and  died,  and 
was  buried  as  other  men.  It  was  ominous  for  Israel,  that 
no  prophet  caught  Elisha's  mantle,  or  continued  his  min- 
istry. Gehazi,  who  ought  to  have  been  his  successor, 
proved  unworthy  of  the  calling,  for  he  "  loved  this  present 
world;"  and  he  who  should  have  been  a  prophet,  and 
might  have  healed  lepers,  became,  through  covetousness 
and  deceit,  himself  a  leper,  white  as  snow. 

There  did,  however,  arise  in  Israel,  during  the  period 
covered  by  this  history,  several  faithful  prophets,  who, 
though  they  did  not  work  wonders  like  Elijah  and  Elisha, 
spoke  powerful  reproofs  of  the  prevailing  immorality  and 


II.  KINGS.  151 

idolatry,  and  uttered  piercing  calls  to  repentance.  We  do 
not  refer  so  much  to  Jonah,  who  is  mentioned  in  chapter 
xiv.,  because  the  memorable  part  of  his  prophetic  ministry 
was  directed  to  the  Gentiles.  But  Amos,  the  "herdsman  " 
of  Tekoa,  lifted  up  a  vehement  testimony  against  the  vices 
of  the  time,  and,  in  the  reign  of  the  greatest  of  the 
northern  kings,  the  second  Jeroboam,  foretold  what  was 
then  most  unlikely,  the  downfall  of  the  kingdom,  and  the 
captivity  of  disobedient  Israel.  Ilosea,  too,  about  the 
same  period,  a  prophet  of  great  plaintiveness,  a  kind  of 
northern  Jeremiah,  rebuked  the  corruption  of  life  in 
Samaria,  through  drunkenness,  licentiousness,  and  unruli- 
ness,  and  the  corruption  of  worship  by  serving  the  molten 
calves,  and  by  offending  in  Baal.  The  rejection  of  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  sent  by  these  prophets,  was  the  cause  of 
Israel's  ruin.  Individuals,  no  doubt,  obeyed  the  calls  to 
repentance  and  were  saved,  but  the  court,  the  princes,  and 
the  people  at  large,  would  not  hearken.  The  mighty 
works  of  Elijah  and  Elisha,  and  the  piercing  words  of 
Amos  and  Hosea,  were  alike  unheeded ;  so  "  the  Lord  re- 
moved Israel  out  of  His  sight,  as  He  had  said  by  all  His 
servants  and  prophets." 

2.  The  Kings. 

One  son  of  Ahab  reigned  for  two  years.  Another  suc- 
ceeded, and  reigned  for  twelve  years.  He  was  so  far  an 
improvement  on  his  father  and  brother,  that  he  removed 
the  image  of  Baal.  This  is  that  Jehoram  or  Joram  who, 
with  the  kings  of  Judah  and  Edom,  defeated  Mesha,  the 
king  of  the  Moabites.  Very  curiously,  after  three  thousand 
years,  we  have  further  information  of  king  Mesha,  from 
the  famous  Moabitish  stone,  the  inscription  on  which  de- 


152  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

scribes  the  wars  of  Moab  with  Israel,  and  the  reliance  of 
Mesha,  in  his  contest  with  the  house  of  Omri,  on  the  god 
Chemosh. 

The  reign  of  Joram  was  cut  short  by  violence.  It  hap- 
]  i  necl  more  than  once  in  Israel,  as  it  has  occurred  in  other 
nations  at  times  of  weakness  and  distraction,  that  a  bold 
and  ambitious  soldier,  securing  the  support  of  the  army, 
seized  the  throne.  It  was  Jehu,  anointed  at  Eanioth- 
Gilead  by  one  of  the  sons  of  the  prophets,  who,  with  the 
ready  adhesion  of  the  officers  of  his  army,  marched  rapidly 
on  Jezreel,  and  surprised  the  king,  who  was  ill  from  the 
wounds  he  had  received  in  battle  against  the  Syrians.  As 
Joram  turned  to  flee,  Jehu  pierced  him  with  an  arrow 
from  his  own  bow,  and  seized  on  the  palace,  where  he  held 
a  triumphal  feast.  On  the  same  eventful  day,  the  aged, 
yet  not  venerable,  queen-mother,  Jezebel,  perished  miser- 
ably, and  was  exposed  to  be  the  prey  of  the  hungry  dogs 
of  the  city.  It  was  recognised  as  the  fulfilment  of  Elijah's 
terrible  words,  that  "  in  the  portion  of  Jezreel,  dogs  should 
eat  the  flesh  of  Jezebel." 

Jehu  continued  his  way  to  Samaria,  exterminated  the 
race  of  Ahab,  put  to  death  many  of  the  royal  family  of 
Judah,  which  was  at  this  time  on  intimate  terms  with  the 
reigning  house  in  Israel,  and  completed  his  work  by  a  re- 
lentless massacre  of  the  worshippers  of  Baal.  The  image 
and  temple  of  that  heathen  god  were  utterly  defaced. 
"Thus  Jehu  destroyed  Baal  out  of  Israel."  His  worship 
may  still  have  lingered  in  the  land,  but  it  was  never 
publicly  resumed,  and  the  kingdom  of  Israel,  from  this 
time,  returned  to  the  worship  which  king  Jeroboam  estab- 
lished at  first ;  the  worship,  nominally,  of  Jehovah,  under 


II.  KINGS,  153 

the  form,  and  with  the  aid  of,  the  golden  calves  of  Dan 
and  Bethel.  Jehu  reigned  twenty-eight  years  in  Samaria, 
a  man  of  "  might/'  but  of  a  hard,  stern  character,  an  ex- 
cellent hammer  for  breaking  down,  a  remorseless  minister 
of  retribution,  but  not  a  producer  or  nourisher  of  that 
which  is  good. 

Feeble  rulers  followed.  Indeed  there  is  only  one  great 
king  in  Israel  after  Jehu ;  it  is  Jeroboam  the  second,  who 
reigned  for  forty-one  years  with  extraordinary  vigour. 
He  took  Damascus,  and  by  force  of  arms,  recovered  the 
whole  northern  kingdom  of  Solomon.  And  yet  his  long 
reign  is  described  in  no  more  than  seven  verses.  There 
was  nothing  to  relate  of  moral  or  spiritual  good.  On  the 
contrary,  we  gather  from  the  prophets  who  lived  under 
this  king,  that,  under  all  his  external  prosperity,  it  was  a 
time  of  abounding  iniquity  and  gross  depravity  of  life. 
Therefore  the  kingdom  nodded  to  its  fall. 

Jeroboam's  son  and  successor  was  slain  by  conspiracy, 
and  so  ended  the  dynasty  of  Jehu.  There  ensued  a 
troubled  period  of  about  forty  years  under  various  kings, 
and  then  the  catastrophe  came.  The  old  empire  of  Assyria 
rose  at  this  time  into  overwhelming  power,  and  extended 
its  conquests  over  all  the  East.  An  Assyrian  army  ap- 
peared before  Damascus,  where  an  adventurer,  named 
Piezin,  had  established  himself  as  king  of  Syria.  Damascus 
fell ;  and  Hoshea,  who  proved  to  be  the  last  king  of  Israel, 
terrified  at  the  approach  of  the  Assyrians,  sought  the  help 
of  the  king  of  Egypt.  It  was  too  late.  Hoshea  was  made 
prisoner,  Samaria  was  taken,  after  a  siege  of  three  years, 
and  the  people  of  the  land  were  carried  away  into  cap- 
tivity.    The  sensitiveness  of  the  public  mind,  now-a-days, 


154:  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

to  any  violation  of  national  feeling,  the  shock  which  it 
suffers  at  the  forcible  separation  of  a  people  from  the 
country  or  government  they  prefer,  was  quite  unknown  in 
those  stern  days  of  old.  As  a  matter  of  course  and  with- 
out hesitation,  the  main  body  of  the  inhabitants  of  Israel 
were  transferred  to  remote  provinces  of  the  Assyrian  em- 
pire. The  Samaritans  of  the  future  were  a  people  of  mixed 
origin,  partly  Israelite,  and  partly  Gentile.  Their  religion 
was  also  a  thing  of  mixture  and  compromise.  "They 
feared  the  Lord  and  served  their  own  gods."  We  read  no 
more  good  of  the  northern  part  of  the  Holy  Land  till  we 
reach  the  days  of  Christ,  who  dwelt  in  Galilee,  and, 
with  purposes  of  love,  passed  once  and  again  through 
Samaria. 

II.  Of  Judah. 

The  history  of  the  southern  kingdom  is  given  with 
detail  in  2  Chronicles,  and  needs  not  be  very  minutely 
related  now.  It  endured  no  change  of  dynasty.  All  the 
kings  were  of  the  house  of  David,  and  the  memory  of  his 
great  name,  of  the  covenant  made  with  him,  threw  a  sacred 
interest  around  even  the  most  insignificant  kings  who 
ruled  in  Jerusalem.  There  was  the  throne  of  David,  and 
there  the  temple  of  Solomon.  There  too  the  priesthood 
was  continued,  and  not  merely  retained,  but  increased  its 
influence.  Yet  this  kingdom,  too,  fell  before  the  heathen, 
and  Judah  went  into  captivity. 

At  the  beginning  of  this  book,  we  find  the  throne  of 
David  filled  by  Jehoshaphat,  a  vigorous  ruler,  and  one  of 
good  intentions.  But  most  unfortunately  for  his  house,  he 
allied  himself  with  King  Ahab,  and  his  son  and  successor 


U.  KINGS.  15a 

married  Atlialiah,  a  daughter  of  Ahab  and  Jezebel,  also 
called  "  daughter,  i.e.  grandaugliter  of  Omri."  Like  her 
mother,  she  was  devoted  to  the  worship  of  Baal  and  intro- 
duced it  into  Jerusalem.  On  the  death  of  her  husband, 
she,  as  queen-mother,  wielded  great  influence  over  her  son. 
He  also  died,  and  Athaliah's  ambition  aspired  to  the  sole 
possession  of  the  throne.  Cruel  and  unscrupulous  as  her 
mother,  she  destroyed  all  the  royal  family,  that  she  might 
obliterate  the  covenanted  line  of  David,  and  heathenise 
Jerusalem.  It  was  a  dark  hour  for  all  who  yet  had  faith 
in  the  covenant  of  God.  The  lamp  ordained  for  David 
seemed  to  be  put  out,  and  the  promise  regarding  his  pos- 
terity appeared  to  fail.  But  not  so  !  The  wife  of  the  high- 
priest,  herself  of  royal  extraction,  rescued  from  the 
massacre  a  little  boy,  a  babe  in  arms.  He  was  hidden  and 
brought  up  in  the  temple.  Jehoiada,  the  high-priest,  a 
man  at  once  prudent  and  brave,  waited  till  the  boy,  prince 
Joash,  was  seven  years  old ;  then  brought  him  forth  and 
proclaimed  him  king.  He  was  received  with  joyful  shouts, 
and  the  wicked  Atlialiah  was  ignominiously  slain.  The 
temple  of  Baal,  which  she  had  built,  was  overthrown  by 
the  people,  and  a  time  of  religious  reformation  ensued. 
The  young  king,  grateful  for  the  protection  he  had  received 
in  the  temple,  made  it  his  first  care  to  repair  the  house  of 
the  Lord.  For  the  greater  part  of  his  long  reign  he  did 
well,  but  his  latter  years  were  unhappy,  and  he  died  by 
violence.  His  son,  after  a  reign  of  twenty-five  years,  died 
by  violence  too.  His  grandson,  called  Azariah,  but  in 
Chronicles  Uzziah,  occupied  the  throne  for  the  very  long 
period  of  fifty-two  years ;  but  his  later  days  were  saddened 
by  the  taint  of  leprosy. 


156  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

At  this  time,  the  solemn  voices  of  prophets  began  to  be 
heard  in  Judah.  Amos  and  Hosea  spoke  of  Jerusalem  as 
well  as  Samaria,  Isaiah  saw  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  "  in 
the  year  that  King  Uzziah  died,"  and  with  the  prophet 
Micah,  continued  to  admonish  and  teach  during  the  reigns 
of  the  three  kings  who  followed,  Jotham,  Ahaz,  and 
Hezekiah. 

There  is  a  striking  alternation  of  good  and  evil  in  the 
rulers  of  this  period.  Jotham,  though  not  a  man  of  mark, 
feared  the  Lord  and  prospered.  Ahaz  had  a  very  mania 
for  introducing  into  Jerusalem  the  gods  of  the  nations 
round  about,  "the  abominations  of  the  heathen."  His 
infatuation  brought  the  kingdom  very  low.  Very  unlike 
him  was  his  son  Hezekiah,  perhaps  the  greatest  and  best 
of  all  the  kings  of  Judah.  Isaiah  the  prophet  was  his 
spiritual  counsellor  and  friend.  He  had  no  great  captains, 
but  obtained  by  prayer  what  his  sword  could  never  have 
achieved,  the  destruction  of  the  invading  host  from  Assyria. 
We  reserve  a  fuller  notice  of  this  devout  prince  till  we 
reach  the  Second  Book  of  Chronicles.  His  son  and  successor 
was  of  quite  another  spirit.  Coming  early  to  the  royal 
dignity,  Manasseh  reigned  for  fifty-five  years.  By  him 
paganism  was  restored  in  its  worst  forms,  and  the  servants 
of  God  were  cruelly  persecuted.  The  history  in  Chronicles 
mentions  an  ultimate  repentance  of  this  wicked  prince, 
but  the  book  before  us  keeps  silence.  With  terrible 
emphasis,  however,  it  describes  his  evil  career.  "  Manasseh 
shed  innocent  blood  very  much,  till  he  had  filled  Jerusalem 
from  one  end  to  another,  beside  his  sin  wherewith  he 
made  Judah  to  sin,  in  doing  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord."* 

*  2  Kings  xxi.  16. 


II.  KINGS.  157 

Pass  over  his  like-minded  son,  and  you  come  once  more 
to  a  good  king.  It  is  Josiah,  who  reached  the  throne  at 
the  age  of  eight,  and  filled  it  for  thirty-one  years.  Like 
the  earlier  boy-king,  Joash,  he  had  a  zeal  for  the  Temple, 
restored  the  service  of  Jehovah,  and  made  a  thorough  havoc 
of  the  high  places,  images,  altars,  and  groves  of  heathen 
worship,  in  Jerusalem  and  throughout  all  his  realm.  In 
his  time,  Zcphaniah  prophesied,  and  the  important  ministry 
of  Jeremiah  began.  Alas !  in  the  very  prime  of  life,  the 
King  Josiah  was  slain  in  battle  with  the  Egyptians.  A 
gloom  overspread  the  country  which  was  long  remembered, 
"  the  mourning  of  Hadad-Eimmon,  in  the  valley  of  Megiddo, 
when  the  land  mourned,  every  family  apart."  Well  might 
they  mourn !  The  last  great  King  of  Judah  was  dead,  and 
the  judgment,  which  many  prophets  had  denounced,  at  last 
drew  nigh. 

The  four  kings  that  followed,  and  who  closed  the  line, 
were  weak  and  unfortunate.  Hard  pressed  between  the 
rival  powers  of  Egypt  and  Babylon,  they  became  feebler 
and  feebler.  At  length  the  great  Nebuchadnezzar  a^ded 
Judah  to  his  other  conquests,  seized  the  capital,  burnt 
down  its  holy  places,  and  carried  the  king  and  the  chief  of 
the  people  captives  to  Babylon,  leaving  only  "  the  poor  of 
the  land  to  be  vine-dressers  and  husbandmen."  By  the 
rivers  of  Babylon  the  Jews  sat  down  and  wept,  when  they 
remembered  Zion.  They  hung  their  harps  on  the  willow 
trees,  for  they  could  not  sing  the  Lord's  song  in  a  strange 
land. 

Such  is  history,  with  long  passages  of  apparent  impunity 
for  evil,  but  stern  retributions  at  last.     Individuals  do  not 


158  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

meet  in  this  life  all  the  consequences  of  their  actions,  but 
either  now  or  hereafter,  they  must  reap  what  they  have 
sown.  The  reaping  time  of  nations  is  in  this  present 
world.  By  righteousness  a  people  is  exalted;  by  un- 
righteousness before  God,  opposition  to  His  prophets, 
neglect  of  His  word,  corruption  of  morals  among  the 
rulers  and  the  ruled,  there  must  be  incurred  feebleness 
and  ruin.  Penalty  may  be  inflicted  instrumentally  by  a 
power  which  has  great  faults  of  its  own,  as  Assyria  and 
Babylon  certainly  had ;  but  the  judgment  is  none  the  less 
a  Divine  judgment,  from  which  there  is  no  possible 
escape  or  recovery  without  timely  repentance.  The  cup 
of  iniquity  may  be  slowly  rilled ;  but  if  the  course  of  self- 
will  be  persisted  in,  so  soon  as  God  sees  the  cup  of  iniquity 
to  be  full,  He  will  wring  out  the  wine  of  fierce  wrath  from 
a  full  cup  on  a  guilty  nation's  head.  "  The  dregs  thereof 
all  the  wicked  of  the  earth  shall  wring  out,  and  drink 
them." 

Yet  God  is  good.  We  have  destroyed  ourselves,  but  in 
Him  is  our  help.  Let  us,  as  a  community,  hear  His  voice, 
and,  turning  to  Him,  serve  Him  in  our  collective  character, 
and  honour  Him  in  our  public  course  of  action.  Let  us, 
as  individuals,  repent  of  our  waywardness,  and  give  glory  to 
the  Lord  our  God.  What  have  we  to  do  any  more  with 
idols  ?  Let  us  be  as  severe  against  them  as  Jehu  or 
Josiah.  Let  us  seek  God's  face  as  earnestly  as  Hezekiah 
did,  then  shall  no  Assyrian  prevail  against  us,  or  daughter 
of  Babylon  lead  us  captive.  Our  safety  and  our  happiness 
are  bound  up  with  fidelity  to  God  and  to  Christ,  and,  in 
order  to  fidelity,  we  Gentiles  must  seek  that  blessing  of  a 
renewed  heart  which  the  Lord  by  Jeremiah  promised  in  a 


II.  KINGS.  159 

new  covenant  to  the  house  of  Israel  and  the  house  of  Judah. 
"After those  days,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  put  my  law  in 
their  inward  parts  and  write  it  in  their  hearts ;  and  will 
he  their  God,  and  they  shall  he  my  people.  And  they 
shall  teach  no  more  every  man  his  neighbour,  and  every 
man  his  brother,  saying,  Know  the  Lord ;  for  they  shall 
all  know  Me,  from  the  least  of  them  unto  the  greatest  of 
them,  saith  the  Lord,  for  I  will  forgive. their  iniquity,  and 
I  will  remember  their  sin  no  more."* 
*  Jer.  xxxi.  33,  34. 


I.  CHEOXICLES. 

The  two  Books  of  Chronicles,  which  originally  formed  one, 
stand  last  of  all  in  the  Hebrew  Canon.  They  appear  to  be, 
in  a  great  measure,  compilations  from  official  records  kept 
in  Jerusalem,  and  from  historical  or  biographical  works,  by 
Xathan,  Iddo  the  seer,  and  other  writers.  A  holy  man, 
moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  gathered  together  important 
facts  that  might  otherwise  have  passed  into  oblivion,  and 
wrought  them  into  a  continuous  narrative,  so  that  nothing 
profitable  should  be  lost.  This  holy  man  is  supposed  to 
have  been  Ezra,  the  scribe,  and  on  good  grounds,  such  as 
the  similarity  of  style  in  the  Chronicles  to  the  acknow- 
ledged Book  of  Ezra,  and  the  obvious  connection  between 
the  conclusion  of  this  history  and  the  opening  of  that 
book.  Even  if  Ezra  were  not  the  writer,  it  is  certain  that 
the  Chronicles  were  completed  at  a  period  subsequent  to  the 
restoration  of  the  Jews  from  captivity,  for  the  genealogy 
of  the  house  of  David  is  brought  down  to  a  time  long  after 
the  restoration*  and  in  the  end  of  the  second  book,  we 
find  mention  of  the  decree  of  Cyrus  for  the  return  of  the 
Jews  to  their  land  and  the  rebuilding  of  the  Temple. 
It  is  of  importance  thus  to  fix  the  date  of  the  work,  for 

*  1  Chron.  ii:.  16-24. 


L  CIIROXICLES.  1G1 

it  casts  much  light  on  its  scope  ami  purport.  At  the  re- 
storation, difficulties  arose  about  the  genealogical  succes- 
sion to  lands,  and  the  re-organisation  of  Divine  worship 
and  service  in  the  second  Temple.  To  meet  these  diffi- 
culties were  the  Chronicles  written,  determining  family- 
descent,  and  fixing  the  Levitical  genealogies  and  courses. 
Moreover,  the  leaders  of  the  Jews,  at  the  time,  were  most 
anxious  to  rekindle  the  spirit  of  patriotism,  and  to  recall 
to  the  hearts  of  the  people  the  faith  of  covenant  promises. 
In  this  effort  they  were  aided  by  the  prophets  of  the 
period,  Haggai  and  Zechariah;  and  to  the  same  great 
object,  the  writer  of  the  Chronicles  brought  a  most  valu- 
able contribution.  Taking  no  account  of  the  extinct  king- 
dom  of  Israel,  he  furnished  a  compendious  history  of.  the 
house  and  dynasty  of  David,  and  gave  special  prominence 
to  the  care  for  the  Temple  evinced  by  the  great  kings, 
David,  Solomon,  Hezekiah,  and  Josiah,  in  order  to  stir  up 
the  people,  who  had  returned  from  captivity,  to  build 
again  the  temple  of  the  Lord. 

As  in  the  New  Testament  we  have  the  advantage  of 
reading  the  history  of  Jesus  Christ  in  separate  and  inde- 
pendent gospels,  so  in  the  Old  Testament  we  know  David 
and  his  house  all  the  better  that  we  have  two  separate,  if 
not  entirely  independent,  records.  Betweeen  the  two, 
there  are  a  few  points  of  apparent  discrepancy,  the  con- 
sideration of  which  belongs  to  detailed  exposition,  and  not 
to  a  rapid  survey  like  ours.  Most  of  the  points  of  differ- 
ence, however,  are  due,  as,  in  the  case  of  the  gospels, 
simply  to  the  circumstance  that  each  writer  naturally 
dealt  with  the  facts,  or  aspects  of  facts,  that  he  knew  best, 
or,  without  denying  or  depreciating  others,  used  a  just 


1G2  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

liberty  of  selection  in  favour  of  those  which  accorded  with 
the  special  aim  and  object  of  his  narrative.  Accordingly, 
many  important  matters  related  in  the  Books  of  Samuel 
and  Kings,  are  omitted  from  the  Chronicles,  e.g.,  the  fall  of 
David,  the  revolt  of  Absalom,  the  fall  of  Solomon,  and  the 
entire  history  of  the  separate  kingdom  of  Israel,  because 
these  had  no  direct  bearing  on  the  object  which  the  later 
writer  kept  in  view.  On  the  other  hand,  we  have  details 
in  the  later  history,  that  are  not  found  in  the  former.  Let 
us  notice  some  of  these. 

I.  The  Pedigree  of  David,  and  the  Genealogy  of 
the  Tribes. 

The  former  is  traced  in  a  condensed  form  from 
Adam,  through  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob;  and  this 
prominence  is  given  to  David  to  indicate  his  position  in 
the  covenant  grace  of  God — the  most  significant  person  as 
regards  the  Gospel  in  all  the  Old  Testament  history,  and 
the  ancestor  of  Christ,  whose  pedigree  also  is  traced  by  an 
Evangelist,  through  David  and  Abraham,  to  "  Adam  who 
was  the  son  of  God." 

The  genealogical  tables  of  the  tribes  may  try  our 
patience,  but  the  Bible  was  not  written  for  us  only,  and 
those  tables  were  full  of  interest  and  practical  use  to  the 
Jews  of  the  restoration  period,  for  whom  they  were  pro- 
vided. For  us,  too,  they  have  an  evidential  value  in 
favour  of  the  authenticity  of  the  sacred  histories.  No  one 
writing  annals  from  guess-work  or  vague  tradition  would 
venture  to  give  such  copious  lists  of  names  of  men  and 
places,  and  so  many  incidental  allusions  as  we  have  in 
Genesis,  in  Numbers,  and  in  Chronicles,  for  he  would 


/.  CHRONICLES.  1G3 

supply  against  himself  the  greatest  facilities  for  detecting 
untruth  or  unreality.  The  Bible  historians  write  with  the 
utmost  frankness  and  simplicity,  multiplying  names  and 
references  without  fear,  because  they  know  that  their  testi- 
mony is  true. 

The  genealogy  of  Judah  is  enlivened  by  the  episode  of 
Jabez.  If  the  names  are  as  rows  of  hard  stones  that 
fatigue  us  when  we  walk  on  them,  all  the  more  precious 
this  fragrant  shrub,  growing  among  them,  and  casting  a 
sweet  scent  around.  For  some  cause  untold,  a  mother 
bare  her  son  with  unusual  grief,  and  called  him  Jabez — 
Sorrowful;  but  it  was  God's  good  pleasure  to  turn  this 
Benoni  into  a  Benjamin,  the  Son  of  Sorrow  into  a  Son  of 
the  Bight  Hand;  and  the  sad-hearted  mother's  fear  was 
not  fulfilled,  for  Jabez  proved  "  more  honourable  than  his 
brethren."  If  we  inquire  the  reason,  it  was  because  he 
prayed.  Whatever  gifts  of  wisdom,  counsel,  or  courage  he 
may  have  had  among  men,  they  are  not  put  on  record,  but 
it  is  written  that  "he  called  on  the  God  of  Israel,  saying, 
0  that  Thou  wouldest  bless  me  indeed,  and  enlarge  my 
coast,  and  that  Thine  hand  might  be  with  me,  and  that 
Thou  wouldest  keep  me  from  evil,  that  it  may  not  grieve 
me !  And  God  granted  him  that  which  he  requested."  * 
A  true  son  of  Israel,  as  a  prince  he  had  power  with  God 
and  prevailed.  He  asked  much,  and  obtained  much.  The 
Lord  did  great  things  for  him,  whereof,  surely,  Sorrowful 
was  glad. 

II.  The  Hekoes  of  David. 

The  end  of  Saul  is  briefly  told,  and  David's  accession  to 

*  Chap.  iv.  5-10 


164  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

the  throne  immediately  follows.  The  historian  preserves 
the  names  of  those  who  rallied  to  the  son  of  Jesse,  and 
proclaimed  him  king.  Then  we  read  much  of  his  wars 
and  conquests.  It  was  a  time  favourable  to  the  produc- 
tion and  promotion  of  daring  men,  and  David  had  the 
power  of  drawing  these  around  him,  and  firing  them  with 
a  stroncj  enthusiasm.* 

Joab  was  "general  of  the  king's  army;"  but  the  greater 
personal  prowess  is  ascribed  to  three  mighty  men,  Aclino 
(Jashobeam),  Eleazar,  and  Shammah,  who  did  rare  exploits 
against  the  Philistines.  Abishai,  Joab's  brother,  and 
Benaiah,  captain  of  the  king's  body-guard,  belonged  to  a 
second  trio  of  mighty  men.  Thirty  brave  officers  are  also 
mentioned,  among  them  Uriah  the  Hittite,  whom  the  king 
cruelly  wronged. 

Notwithstanding  his  personal  faults,  David  is  constantly 
suggesting  to  us  Christ.  The  great  Son  of  David  has  always 
drawn  good  soldiers  after  Him,  having  power  to  develop 
their  highest  energies,  and  kindle  in  their  breasts  a  sacred 
zeal.  All  David's  men  were  not  mighty,  but  such  as  were 
mighty  in  the  land  found  their  right  arms  all  the  stronger, 
and  their  courage  all  the  loftier,  that  they  were  servants, 
and  even  comrades,  of  the  hero-king.  So  all  the  followers 
of  Christ  have  not  been  "  mighties,"  but  brave  hearts  and 

*  The  warriors  who  surrounded  David  make  one  think  of  the  Knights  of 
the  Round  Table  in  King  Arthur's  Court. 

"And  Arthur  and  his  knighthood  for  a  space 
Were  all  one  will,  and  through  that  strength  the  king 
Drew  in  the  petty  princedoms  under  him  ; 
Fought,  and  in  twelve  great  battles  overcame 
The  heathen  hordes,  and  made  a  realm,  and  reign'd. 

Tekntson.     The  Coming  of  Arthur. 


I.  CHRONICLES.  1G5 

fervent  spirits  have  found  ample  scope  and  holy  incentive 
in  the  service  and  companionship  of  the  King  of  Saints. 
The  "  mighties "  whom  He  drew  around  Him  while  He 
was  on  earth  were  the  apostles,  the  officers  of  His  band 
whom  He  armed  with  weapons,  "  not  carnal,"  but  "  mighty 
through  God  to  the  pulling  down  of  strongholds."  What 
have  we  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  but  the  exploits  of 
mighty  men,  who  fought  not  with  flesh  and  blood,  but 
with  principalities  and  powers,  and  spiritual  wickednesses 
in  high  places  ?  The  Eleazars,  and  Benaiahs,  and  Abishais 
of  the  New  Testament  are  such  Christian  leaders  as  Peter 
and  John,  and  Paul. 

III.  The  Ordering  of  the  Levites  and  Singers. 

King  David  arranged  the  Levites  in  courses  for  Divine 
service.  They  were  no  more  required  to  carry  the  pieces 
of  the  tabernacle  hither  and  thither,  for  "  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel  had  given  rest  unto  His  people ; "  but  in  the  temple 
about  to  be  built  by  Solomon,  the  Levites  were  to  attend, 
as  assistants  to  the  priests,  the  lineal  descendants  of  Aaron. 
At  the  return  from  captivity,  the  Levitical  courses  were 
resumed,  and  they  appear  to  have  been  maintained  down 
to  the  Christian  era,  for  it  is  mentioned  that  Zach arias, 
who  served  in  the  Temple,  was  "  of  the  course  of  Abia." 

A  large  number  of  the  Levites  took  part  in  the  musical 
service  instituted  by  David.  "Pour  thousand  praised  the 
Lord  with  the  instruments."  There  was  a  more  skilled 
company  of  musicians  and  singers,  two  hundred  and  eight- 
eight  in  number, — the  four  thousand,  probably,  serving  as 
grand  chorus  on  occasions.  All  these  were  organized 
and    led    by   three    great   masters,   Asaph,    Heman,    and 


166  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

Jedutlmn.  It  was  the  happiness  of  David,  not  only  as  a 
warrior,  to  draw  warriors  round  him,  and  as  an  able  ruler, 
to  attract  statesmen,  but  also,  as  a  born  musician  and 
poet,  to  surround  himself  with  musicians  and  poets,  who 
assisted  in  the  production  of  the  psalter,  and  composed 
suitable  melodies  for  the  lyrics  in  which  the  king  de- 
lighted. Suddenly  there  came  upon  Jerusalem  the  golden 
age  of  Hebrew  music  and  song.  The  songs  are,  happily, 
preserved  for  the  admiration  and  use  of  the  Christian 
Church.  The  music  was  a  recitative  or  solemn  chant, 
sung  in  unison,  the  theory  of  harmony  being  unknown  to 
the  nations  of  antiquity.  To  our  ears,  long  chants  sung  in 
unison  are  monotonous,  but  David  and  his  musicians  knew 
how  to  obtain  variety  by  the  alternation  of  voices  in  the 
chorus,  and  by  the  use  of  instruments,  harps,  lyres,  cym- 
bals, and  trumpets.  There  was  no  direction  of  God  to 
authorise  these  instruments,  nor  does  it  appear  that  any 
question  or  difficulty  on  that  score  was  ever  raised.  The 
truth  is,  that  their  use  was  reckoned  as  a  matter  of  course, 
for  the  Orientals  were  not  wont  to  sing  without  an  instru- 
mental accompaniment,  however  primitive.*  If  our  cus- 
tom is  different,  we  have  just  the  same  right  to  dispense 
with  instruments  as  others  have  to  use  them,  for  God  has 
never  enjoined  them  any  more  than  He  has  forbidden  or 
condemned  them.  It  is  wise,  in  the  interest  of  the  sim- 
plicity of  worship,  to  dispense  as  far  as  possible  with  costly 
mechanical  appliances  and  aids;  but  we  cannot  admit  the  ex- 
istence of  any  stronger  argument  against  the  use  of  instru- 
ments in  the  service  of  praise.  To  our  minds  nothing  can  be 
more  unreasonable,  than  the  position  of  those  who  assume 

*  Gen.  xxxi.  27 ;  Exod.  xv.  20,  21,  &c. 


/.  CHRONICLES.  1GT 

and  allege  that  they  are  the  champions  of  good  old  customs, 
when  they  sing  David's  Tsalins  in  metres  David  never 
heard  of,  and  in  four-parts  harmony,  which  David  never 
knew,  but  without  musical  instruments,  which  David  in- 
variably employed. 

It  is  of  great  importance,  to  note  well  the  period  at 
which  sacred  song  established  its  place  in  Divine  worship. 
By  the  law,  came  neither  psalm  nor  sacred  music.  A 
trumpet  from  the  top  of  Mount  Sinai,  not  in  human  hands, 
announced  the  Lawgiver's  descent,  but  the  people  could 
not  sing  under  the  holy  commandments.  Trumpets  were 
blown  by  the  priests  at  new-moon,  but  there  was  no  pro- 
vision for  any  song  of  priests  or  people  in  all  the  worship 
prescribed  in  the  wilderness.  Praise  is  united,  not  with 
law,  but  with  the  spirit  of  prophecy.  Moses  sang,  as  a 
prophet,  over  the  redemption  and  exodus  from  Egypt,  and 
sang  again  before  his  death,  or  better  exodus  to  rest  with 
God.  Deborah,  the  prophetess,  sang  of  victory.  A  com- 
pany of  prophets,  in  the  days  of  Samuel,  prophesied,  as 
the  Spirit  of  God  moved  them,  "  with  a  psaltery,  a  tabret, 
a  pipe,  and  a  harp."  So  David  prophesied,  and  Asaph  and 
Heman  "prophesied  and  sang."  It  was  a  time  of  the 
operation  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  which  sweet  song 
obtained  a  leading  place  in  the  religious  service.  The 
Law  required  the  calves  of  the  stall,  but  prophecy  pre- 
sented to  Jehovah  the  calves  of  the  lips.  It  was  the  time 
of  the  kingdom,  too,  a  decided  advance  on  that  of  Moses 
and  the  Law.  The  throne  of  David  was  established  in 
grace,  and  secured  by  a  covenant  of  promise.  Then,  and 
not  till  then,  was  heard  the  voice  of  praise  in  the  courts  of 
the   house  of  the  Lord.     Why  is  it  that  the  Christian 


168  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

Church  has  had,  from  the  beginning,  impulse  and  capacity 
for  sacred  song  ?  It  is  because  the  Spirit  of  Gocl  has  been 
poured  out,  and  because  Christ  reigns  in  grace,  and  "  sings 
praise  in  the  midst  of  the  Church."  It  is  meet,  that  there 
should  be  a  continual  offering  of  the  sacrifice  of  praise 
from  every  Christian  assembly.  And  there  are  better  days 
to  come.  When  our  Lord,  according  to  the  promise,  shall 
sit  on  the  throne  of  His  father  David,  the  golden  age  of 
Christian  song  and  music  will  arrive,  and  all  the  earth 
shall  make  a  joyful  noise  unto  the  Lord. 

IV.  The  preparation  made  by  David  for  the  building 
of  the  Temple. 

We  have  already  explained  that  this  history  was 
written,  in  the  first  instance,  for  the  Jews  who  were  called 
on  to  rebuild  the  ruined  Temple  at  Jerusalem.  Care  is 
therefore  taken,  to  show  them  how  clear  Temple-building 
was  to  the  heart  of  the  great  king  David.  He  was  not, 
indeed,  permitted  to  carry  out  his  desire,  for  there  was 
always  a  coming-short  in  the  greatest  men  before  Christ. 
Abraham  died  in  faith,  not  having  received  the  promises, 
but  having  seen  them  afar  off.  Moses  died,  not  having 
entered  the  land,  but  having  seen  it  afar  off.  And  David 
died,  not  having  built  the  Temple,  but  having  seen  its  pat- 
tern in  the  Spirit,  and  having  provided,  for  its  erection,  great 
store  of  gold,  silver,  brass,  iron,  wood,  marble,  and  onyx 
stones.  All  this  he  made  over  to  Solomon,  and  charged 
him  "  to  be  strong  and  do  it ; "  then  blessed  the  congrega- 
tion of  Israel,  and  died  "in  a  good  old  age." 

Moses  lived  on  in  Joshua,  David  in  Solomon.  The  two 
leaders,  together,  typify  Christ  as  Leader  and  Commander 


I.  CHRONICLES.  1G9 

of  His  people.  The  two  kings,  together,  typify  Christ  as 
the  King  on  the  hill  of  God's  holiness,  God's  power  for 
energetic  subdual  of  enemies,  and  God:s  wisdom  for  judg- 
ment of  the  people  and  for  the  erection  of  His  sacred 
Temple.  The  preparation,  the  construction,  and  the  con- 
secration of  the  Christian  Temple,  are  all  of  Christ.  He 
gathers  the  lively  stones,  and  by  the  Spirit,  builds  up  His 
Church  as  a  habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit,  a  sub- 
lime Temple,  against  which  no  inroad  of  enemies,  or  gates 
of  Hades,  shall  prevail. 

The  Temple  in  Jerusalem  was  to  perish,  yet  the  treasures 
devoted  to  it  were  well  spent.  Our  edifices  for  Divine 
worship  are  to  perish,  but  we  must  not  on  that  account 
construct  them  meanly,  or  deal  with  them  in  a  penurious 
spirit.  If  we  do,  David  and  his  people  will  rise  up  in 
judgment  against  us.  "Then  the  people  rejoiced,  for  that 
they  offered  willingly,  because  with  perfect  heart  they 
offered  willingly  to  the  Lord,  and  David,  the  king,  also  re- 
joiced with  great  joy."  The  king  said  to  the  God  of 
Israel,  "  Who  am  I,  and  what  is  my  people,  that  we  should 
be  able  to  offer  so  willingly  after  this  sort  ?  for  all  things 
come  of  Thee,  and  of  Thine  own  have  we  given  Thee.  0 
Lord  our  God,  all  this  store  that  we  have  prepared  to  build 
thee  an  house  for  thy  holy  name,  cometh  of  thine  hand, 
and  is  all  Thine  Own."* 

Let  us,  however,  clearly  keep  in  view,  that  all  the 
houses  made  with  hands  have  to  crumble  into  dust,  or  be 
burned  with  fire.  It  is  the  living  Temple  of  God,  the 
Church  of  Christ  alone,  which  is  impregnable  and  imper- 
ishable.    They  are  in  the  Church  who  cleave  to  Christ 

*  1  Chron.  xxix.  9,  14,  and  16. 


170  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

and  confess  Him  as  the  Son  of  the  Living  God.  They  are 
in  that  Church,  in  whom  dwells  the  Spirit  of  Christ  and 
of  God.  They  who  are  at  heart  estranged  from  Christ,  or 
have  not  His  Spirit,  are  "  none  of  His,"  and  they  that  are 
not  His,  are  not  in  the  Church,  no  matter  though  all  the 
Ecclesiastics  in  Christendom  had  received  them,  and 
poured  streams  of  holy  water  and  rivers  of  consecrating 
oil  upon  their  heads. 


The  roll  of  names,  the  list  of  heroes,  the  ordinance  of 
Song,  the  preparation  for  the  Temple ;  these  are  what  we 
have  found  peculiar  to  First  Chronicles.  Would  you  be- 
long to  Christ  the  Son  of  David;  your  name  will  be  written 
in  Heaven,  within  the  Lamb's  Book  of  Life ;  your  calling 
will  be  that  of  a  man  of  war,  fighting  the  good  fight  of 
faith;  your  lips  will  be  opened  that  your  mouth  may  show 
forth  God's  praise;  and  you  shall  lift  up  your  hands  in  the 
sanctuary,  and  bless  the  Lord  within  His  holy  Temple. 


II.  CHRONICLES. 

For  reasons  already  given,  tins  history  confines  itself  to 
the  reigning  House  of  David  in  Jerusalem,  and  describes 
the  kingdom  of  Judah,  rather  in  its  ecclesiastical,  than  in 
its  political  aspects  and  relations.  The  chief  matters  it 
contains  may  be  arranged  under  three  heads. 

I.  The  love  to  the  Temple  and  worship  of  Jehovah,  evinced 
by  the  best  kings  of  the  House  of  David. 

Solomon's  wisdom  and  splendour  are  mentioned,  but  the 
greater  prominence  is  given  to  his  care  in  building,  and 
devoutness  in  dedicating,  the  "  House  of  the  Lord."  In 
his  time,  the  old  Tabernacle  was  transfigured  into  a  holy 
and  beautiful  Temple,  overlaid  with  pure  gold  and  gar- 
nished with  precious  stones.  When  the  venerable  Ark 
was  set  in  its  place  within  this  Temple,  and  the  voice  of 
praise  was  lifted  up  with  trumpets,  cymbals,  and  other  in- 
struments of  music,  "  saying,  for  He  is  good,  for  His  mercy 
endureth  for  ever,"  the  House  was  filled  with  a  cloud,  "for 
the  glory  of  Jehovah  had  filled  the  House  of  God."  So, 
in  all  times  and  places,  praise  has  the  most  efficacy  to 
obtain  the  glorious  presence  or  Shechinah  of  God.  Then 
followed  prayer  and  sacrifice;  and  God  answered  by  fire, 


172  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

consuming  the  offerings,  and  again  filling  the  House  with 
His  glory.  The  dedication  of  that  temple  was  the  grandest 
passage  in  King  Solomon's  life ;  and  the  prayer  which  he 
offered,  as  he  stood  with  outstretched  hands  before  the 
altar,  is  one  of  the  very  noblest  and  most  comprehensive 
effusions  of  Hebrew  piety.  At  the  close  of  the  feast,  he 
dismissed  the  people,  "glad  and  merry  in  heart  for  the 
goodness  that  the  Lord  had  showed  unto  David,  and  to 
Solomon,  and  to  Israel,  His  people." 

King  Asa,  the  great  grandson  of  Solomon,  was  the  next 
of  the  kings  who  showed  special  regard  for  the  temple  and 
its  services.  He  deposed  his  own  mother  from  her  state 
as  Queen  Dowager,  "  because  she  had  made  an  idol  in  a 
grove."  The  idol  he  destroyed  with  all  others  that 
he  found  in  Judah  and  Benjamin;  then  renewed  the 
altar  of  the  Lord,  and  brought  into  His  House,  as  dedi- 
cated things,  "silver,  gold,  and  vessels."  To  him  rallied 
many  devout  persons  from  the  northern  kingdom  of  Israel. 
"  They  fell  to  him  out  of  Israel  in  abundance,  when  they 
saw  that  the  Lord  his  God  was  with  him." 

The  next  king  who  evinced  a  zeal  for  the  Temple  was 
Joash.  Grateful  for  the  shelter  he  enjoyed  there  in  his  in- 
fancy, he  "  was  minded  to  repair  the  House  of  the  Lord." 
After  his  time,  though  Judah  and  Jerusalem  were  tainted 
with  heathen  superstitions,  the  great  Temple  was,  on  the 
whole,  treated  with  respect,  till  the  days  of  the  infatuated 
idolater,  Ahaz,  who  "cut  in  pieces  the  vessels  of  the  House 
of  God,  and  shut  up  the  doors  of  the  House."  The  whole 
of  the  beautiful  interior  was  left  to  neglect  and  decay. 

Happily,  the  successor  of  Ahaz  was  a  prince  of  a  quite 
different  spirit.     The  very  first  use  Hezekiah  made  of  his 


II.  CHRONICLES.  173 

kingly  power  was  to  re-open,  cleanse,  and  repair  the 
Temple.  He  began  this  good  work  "  in  the  first  year  of  his 
reign,  in  the  first  month."  There  ensued  a  great  religious 
reformation.  The  House  of  the  Lord  being  purified,  and 
the  ministry  of  priests  and  Levites  re-organised,  the 
public  service  was  resumed,  the  sin-offering  was  slain,  the 
burnt-offering  smoked  upon  the  altar,  and  the  song  of  the 
Lord  went  up  again  with  cymbals,  harps,  and  sound  of 
trumpets.  This  done,  and  well  done,  the  king  took  coun- 
sel with  his  princes  and  all  the  congregation  in  Jerusalem 
regarding  the  long-neglected  celebration  of  the  Passover ; 
and  the  great  feast  was  successfully  restored. 

In  the  conduct  of  Hezekiah,  as  the  reviver  of  the  Pass- 
over, are  two  things  well  worthy  of  our  notice  : — 

1.  He  showed  a  large  mind  in  subordinating  the  letter 
of  the  law  to  its  spirit.  The  first  month,  the  proper  time 
for  the  Passover,  was  past.  It  was  consumed  in  cleansing 
the  temple.  Then  the  king  did  not  postpone  the  feast  for 
a  year,  in  bondage  to  the  mere  form  and  letter  of  the  insti- 
tution. He  felt  that  too  much  precious  time  had  already 
been  lost,  so  he  appointed  a  special  Passover  in  the  second 
month. 

If  a  Jew  could  thus  judge,  the  lesson  should  be  easy  for 
us.  It  is  wrong  to  depart  without  cause  from  the  letter 
of  Christ's  ordinances ;  but  we  ought  to  think  far  more  of 
their  spirit,  and  be  glad  that,  in  our  dispensation,  the 
letter  is  reduced  to  a  minimum,  just  to  give  the  spirit 
ampler  scope. 

2.  He  showed  a  large  heart,  in  sending  out  invitations 
to  the  Passover,  through  all  the  land.  The  king  would 
gather   together,   not   Judah  only,  but   the   dispersed  of 


174  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

Israel.  When  lie  caused  "burnt-offerings  and  sin-offerings 
to  be  sacrificed,  it  was  "for  all  Israel."  He  loved,  as 
every  man  taught  of  God  must  love,  the  unity  of  the  re- 
deemed, and  yearned,  as  every  such  man  yearns,  for  the 
manifestation  and  enjoyment  of  that  unity.  So,  when  he 
would  keep  the  Passover,  the  memorial  of  the  redemption, 
not  of  one  or  two,  hut  of  twelve  tribes,  out  of  the  House 
of  Bondage,  the  king  sent  his  proclamation,  in  grave  and 
touching  words,  from  Dan  even  to  Beersheba.  The  invita- 
tion obtained  a  various  reception.  Those  who  belonged  to 
the  powerful  tribe  of  Ephraim,  accustomed  to  vex  Judah, 
treated  it  with  scorn.  But  divers  of  the  less  influential 
tribes  "  humbled  themselves  and  came."  Nay,  in  the  end, 
a  good  many  came  from  Ephraim  too,  and  all  that  came 
were  filled  with  blessing.  Such  was  the  enjoyment  of  that 
Passover,  that,  by  universal  consent,  it  was  kept  for  two 
weeks  instead  of  one.  "  So  there  was  great  joy  in  Jeru- 
salem ;  for  since  the  time  of  Solomon,  the  son  of  David, 
king  of  Israel,  there  was  not  the  like  in  Jerusalem."* 
"Why,  not  since  the  days  of  Solomon  ?  Surely,  because 
immediately  after  his  reign,  the  unity  of  the  ancient 
household  of  faith  was  broken,  and  new  centres  of  wor- 
ship were  made  at  Bethel  and  Dan,  to  the  ruin  of  true  re- 
ligion. Now,  in  regard  to  the  disruption  of  the  chosen 
nation,  as  in  regard  to  dissensions  and  disruptions  of 
Churches,  there  was  "much  to  be  said  on  both  sides;" 
but  Hezekiah  did  not  enter  into  any  of  the  old  disputes, 
or  insist  on  having  an  historical  controversy  settled  on  a 
ground  of  argument.  With  a  wise  simplicity,  he  went 
back  three  hundred  years,  to  the  good  old  way  of  David 

2  Chron.  xxx.  26. 


II.  CHRONICLES.  175 

and  Solomon,  assured  that  the  reunion  of  His  people  round 
the  symbols  or  memorials  of  their  redemption,  must  be  ac- 
cording to  the  mind  of  God. 

Let  us,  in  the  same  spirit,  favour  the  enlargement  of 
Church  fellowship,  and  take  to  Hezekiah's  healing,  restor- 
ing, comprehending  policy — the  only  way  to  drive  out  the 
miserable  denominationalism  and  separatism  that  distract 
and  enfeeble  the  Protestant  Christendom.  Let  us  not  re- 
vert to  all  the  old  disputes,  or  endeavour  to  fix  on  one  an- 
other the  guilt  of  schism,  but,  without  upbraiding,  rally 
as  brethren  around  the  old  centre  of  Christian  unity — 
"  Christ  our  Passover."  Why  not  go  back,  as  respects  com- 
munion to  the  good  old  way  of  the  Primitive  Church,  when 
the  formation  of  separate  sects  was  reprobated  as  a  work 
of  the  flesh,*  and  let  the  circumcised  in  heart  break  bread 
and  drink  wine  together,  without  hindrance,  before  the 
Lord,  and  in  remembrance  of  Him?  Xo  doubt,  there 
must  be  a  centre  of  unity  to  which  the  redeemed  come  to- 
gether, and  around  which  they  are  grouped :  but  this  is 
not  a  city  or  a  holy  see ;  not  Pome,  nor  Geneva,  nor  Con- 
stantinople, nor  Canterbury,  nor  Edinburgh — no,  nor  any 
separatist  meeting  of  purists,  who  think  themselves  "  the 
faithful  few ;"  but  the  name  of  Jesus  only,  and  the  redemp- 
tion in  His  blood.  Many  will  call  this  visionary,  just  as 
many  derided  the  large  proposals  of  Hezekiah;  but  all  who 
humble  themselves  to  fall  in  with  the  plan  of  healing 
breaches,  and  binding  in  one  communion  the  scattered 
people  of  God,  will  get  such  increase  of  grace,  and  comfort 
in  Christ,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  as,  in  narrow  lines 
of  separation,  they  could  never  reach. 

*  Gal.  v.  20. 


17G  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

Hezekiah  could  not  consider  the  reformation  complete, 
so  long  as  heathen  images  and  altars  stood  in  the  groves. 
The  zeal  to  make  an  end  of  these  was  now  well  kindled. 
The  young  king  did  wisely,  first  to  gather  his  people  round 
the  true  altar,  and  give  them  to  taste  the  sweetness  of 
uniting  in  the  worship  of  God,  and  in  the  feast  of  redemp- 
tion, and  then  when  their  enthusiasm  was  warm,  to  lead 
them  to  the  destruction  of  idols  and  their  shrines.  "  Now, 
when  all  this  was  finished,  all  Israel  that  were  present 
went  out  to  the  cities  of  Judah,  and  brake  the  images  in 
pieces,  and  cut  down  the  groves,  and  threw  down  the  high 
places  and  the  altars  out  of  all  Judah  and  Benjamin,  in 
Ephraiin  also  and  Manasseh,  until  they  had  utterly  de- 
stroyed them  all."  * 

So  is  it  always.  The  strength  to  turn  from  idols,  and 
the  holy  zeal  to  make  an  end  of  the  evils  which  corrupt 
and  divide  the  Church,  must  be  got  at  the  altar  of  God. 
"We  do  not  first  complete  our  reformation,  and  then  come 
to  the  blood  of  sprinkling  and  the  feast  of  redeeming  love ; 
but  to  these  we  come  first,  and  then  go  forth  to  abolish 
idols,  and  to  testify  against  those  evils  which  have  found 
room  in  the  highways  and  high  places  of  the  Church,  as  in 
the  streets  and  groves  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  cities  of 
Judah,  Benjamin,  Ephraim,  and  Manasseh. 

Alas  !  the  son  of  Hezekiah  resembled  not  his  father,  but 
his  grandfather ;  and  though  he  did  not,  like  him,  shut  up 
the  doors  of  the  temple,  he  did  worse,  for  he  erected 
"  altars  for  the  host  of  heaven  "  in  the  courts  of  the  house, 
and  actually  "  set  a  carved  image,  the  idol  which  he  had 
made,  in  the  house  of  God."     Before  his  death,  Manasseh, 

*  2  Chron.  xxxi.  1. 


II.  CHRONICLES.  177 

being  penitent,  removed  these  accursed  things,  and  repaired 
the  Lord's  altar.  But  the  wrong  that  he  had  done  to  the 
true  religion  in  his  long  reign  was  not  to  be  easily  undone 
and  his  son  and  successor  reversed  this  later  policy,  and 
took  the  side  of  heathenism. 

It  required  the  vigour  of  Josiah,  the  last  of  the  good 
kings,  to  bring  about  another,  though,  as  it  unfortunately 
proved,  a  transient  reformation.  While  the  temple  was 
under  repair  by  his  command,  the  High  Priest  found  a 
book  there,  and  gave  it  to  Shaphan  the  scribe,  who  read 
it  to  the  king.  It  was  a  Book  of  the  Law  of  Moses,  pro- 
bably the  ancient  roll  of  Deuteronomy,  lost  and  forgotten 
during  troublous  times.  Josiah  was  deeply  moved  as  he 
listened  to  it,  and,  taking  the  book  into  his  own  hand,  he 
read  it  aloud  to  the  priests,  Levites,  elders,  and  people,  great 
and  small.  By  the  law  came  to  them  a  knowledge  of 
sin,  and  after  the  reading,  a  solemn  covenant  of  obedience 
was  publicly  made. 

In  the  reign  of  this  king,  the  heathen  worship  was 
thoroughly  uprooted,  or  rather,  mowed  down,  for  the  roots 
remained  in  the  national  mind,  as  soon  appeared  to  their 
shame.  Josiah  was  certainly  a  great  Iconoclast,  even  in 
the  twentieth  year  of  his  age,  or  twelfth  of  his  reign. 
And  the  reformation  from  heathenism  was  rather  forced 
by  the  monarch's  will,  than  effected  by  the  spontaneous 
action  of  a  people  whose  hearts  had  turned  to  Jehovah,  as 
it  was  in  the  days  of  Hezekiah.  Josiah's  passover,  how- 
ever, is  enthusiastically  described  as  surpassing,  not  only 
that  of  Hezekiah,  but  also  those  of  the  times  of  David  and 
Solomon.  "  There  was  no  passover  like  to  that  kept  in 
Israel  from  the  days  of  Samuel  the  prophet. " 


178  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

The  early  death,  of  Josiah  was  the  knell  of  Jerusalem. 
The  kingdom  staggered  and  fell,  and  the  temple  fell  with 
it.  First,  the  house  of  the  Lord  was  robbed  of  its  goodly 
vessels,  which  were  carried  as  trophies  to  Babylon,  and 
at  last  it  was  burned  with  fire.  The  Chronicles,  however, 
do  not  end  with  this  catastrophe.  True  to  their  main  pur- 
pose of  stirring  up  a  zeal  for  temple  restoration,  they 
stretch  across  the  seventy  years  of  the  captivity,  and 
relate  that  "  the  Lord  stirred  up  the  spirit  of  Cyrus,  king 
of  Persia,  that  he  made  a  proclamation  throughout  all  his 
kingdom,  and  put  it  also  in  writing,  saying,  Thus  saith 
Cyrus,  king  of  Persia,  All  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  hath 
the  Lord  God  of  heaven  given  me ;  and  he  hath  charged 
me  to  build  him  an  house  in  Jerusalem,  which  is  in  Judah. 
Who  is  there  among  you  of  all  his  people  ?  The  Lord  his 
God  be  with  him,  and  let  him  go  up." 

II.  Deliverances  wrought  for  the  House  of  David,  hecause 
God  had  a  favour  unto  them. — We  mention  four  of  them, 
and  mark  in  them  a  kind  of  progress. 

1.  Abijah  (or  Abijam),  the  son  of  Eehoboam,  is  little 
accounted  of  in  the  Book  of  Kings,  but  is  celebrated  in  the 
Chronicles  as  having  gained  a  signal  victory  over  Jero- 
boam. The  armies  were  already  engaged,  and  the  tide  of 
battle  had  turned  against  the  forces  of  Abijah,  when  Judah 
cried  to  the  Lord,  and  the  priests  sounded  with  the  trum- 
pets. Then  the  tide  of  battle  turned  again,  and  God  smote 
Jeroboam,  and  delivered  the  men  of  Israel  into  the  power 
of  the  army  of  Judah.  It  was  taken  as  a  mark  of  Divine 
favour,  a  sign  that  the  kingdom  of  Jehovah  was  "  in  the 
hands  of  the  sons  of  David." 


II  CHRONICLES.  179 

2.  Asa,  the  son  of  Abijah,  and  a  better  man  than  he, 
found  himself  and  his  army  confronted  by  a  prodigious 
host  of  Ethiopians.  He  had  not  joined  battle,  but  had 
set  his  men  in  array.  Then  he  made  appeal  to  Jehovah 
his  God  in  these  noble  words  : — "Lord,  it  is  nothing  with 
thee  to  help,  whether  with  many,  or  with  them  that  have 
no  power ;  help  us,  0  Lord  our  God,  for  we  rest  on  thee, 
and  in  thy  name  we  go  against  this  multitude.  0  Jehovah, 
thou  art  our  God :  let  not  man  prevail  against  Thee ! " 
Then  the  battle  was  joined,  and  the  Lord,  in  answer  to 
King  Asa's  appeal,  gave  him  at  once  the  mastery  over  the 
Ethiopian  host. 

3.  Jehoshaphat,  the  son  of  Asa,  had  a  still  more  wonder- 
ful deliverance.  He  was  threatened  by  a  formidable  com- 
bination of  Moabites,  Ammonites,  and  Edomites,  and  went 
out  with  an  army  against  them,  but  did  not  even  set  his 
men  in  battle  array  as  his  father  had  done,  far  less,  give 
way  in  the  midst  of  a  combat,  like  his  grandfather.  Before 
he  left  Jerusalem,  he  made  his  appeal  to  God  in  the  temple, 
and  when  he  marched  forth  with  his  army,  it  was  with  the 
voice  of  singers  going  before,  and  saying,  "  Praise  the  Lord, 
for  His  mercy  endureth  for  ever."  The  soldiers  of  Judali 
drew  no  sword,  and  shot  no  arrow  from  the  bow,  for,  ere 
they  reached  the  camping  ground  of  their  enemies,  fierce 
dissension  had  broken  out,  and  the  allies  fell  on  one  another 
with  great  slaughter.  Jehoshaphat  and  his  men  had 
nothing  to  do  but  carry  away  the  spoiL 

4.  Hezekiah  had  a  deliverance  which  marked  even  yet 
more  impressively  the  hand  of  God.  In  the  first  case,  battle 
was  joined,  and  when  it  went  against  Judah,  the  Lord 
turned  the  tide  in  their  favour.     In  the  second,  before  a 


ISO  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

blow  was  struck,  the  Lord  heard  prayer,  and  gave  the 
victory  from  the  very  beginning  of  the  battle,  to  the  army 
of  a  son  of  David.  In  the  third,  there  was  no  battle,  but 
the  army  returned  to  Jerusalem  laden  with  spoil.  Now, 
in  the  fourth,  no  army  went  out  of  Jerusalem's  gate,  and 
yet  a  great  deliverance  was  wrought. 

AVhen  the  Assyrians  approached  his  capital,  King 
Hezekiah  took  certain  military  precautions, — diverted  the 
water-courses,  so  as  to  secure  the  supply  of  the  city  during 
a  siege,  and  repaired  the  walls  and  forts.  Then  he  ad- 
dressed his  "  captains  of  war  "  in  these  admirable  words  of 
faith — "  Be  strong  and  courageous,  be  not  afraid  nor  dis- 
mayed for  the  king  of  Assyria,  nor  for  all  the  multitude 
that  is  with  him ;  for  there  be  more  with  us  than  with 
him  :  with  him  is  an  army  of  flesh,  but  with  us  is  Jehovah 
our  God  to  help  us,  and  to  fight  our  battles.  And  the 
people  rested  themselves  upon  the  words  of  Hezekiah,  king 
of  Judah."  The  Assyrian  host  drew  nearer,  and  surged  in 
waves  of  defiance  round  Jerusalem.  Mocking  words  were 
spoken,  and  railing  letters  sent  in  to  crush  the  spirit  of  the 
Jews.  Hezekiah  met  the  crisis  as  a  man  who  believed  in 
his  God.  The  enemy  trusted  in  "  chariots  and  horses,"  but 
he  remembered  the  name  of  Jehovah.  The  Assyrians 
buckled  on  their  armour,  but  the  king  of  Judah  rent  his 
clothes  and  covered  himself  with  sackcloth,  and  went  into 
the  House  of  the  Lord.  Sennacherib  would  have  laughed 
him  to  scorn,  and  thought  him  to  be  in  an  agony  of  fear, 
if  he  had  seen  the  pious  king  on  his  knees  before  an 
invisible  God.  But  the  Assyrian  had  better  have  trembled 
and  fled.  Hezekiah  was  there  in  his  fort  of  strength. 
Confessedly  helpless  in  his  own  resources,  he  spread  out 


II.  CHRONICLES,  1S1 

before  the  mighty  God  the  insulting  letter  he  had  received : 
and  that  man  of  faith  on  his  knees,  having  access  to  God 
touching  a  matter  that  concerned  God's  glory,  was  stronger 
far  than  Sennacherib  in  all  his  warlike  pomp.  So,  with- 
out any  arm  of  flesh,  or  "shouting  of  the  captains,"  Jerusalem 
was  delivered.  "  Iiezekiah  the  king,  and  the  prophet 
Isaiah,  the  son  of  Amos,  prayed  and  cried  to  heaven.  And 
the  Lord  sent  an  angel,  which  cut  off  all  the  mighty  men 
of  valour,  and  the  leaders  and  captains  in  the  camp  of  the 
King  of  Assyria.  So  he  returned  with  shame  of  face  to 
his  own  land." 

III.  The  unworthincss  of  the  house  of  David,  proving  that 
the  Lord  favoured  them,  not  for  their  merits,  out  for  His  own 
nanus  sake,  and  His  servant  David's  sake. 

Some  of  the  kings  were  simply  wicked,  as  Eehoboam, 
Jehoram,  Ahaz,  and  Anion.  Others  were  weak  as  well  as 
worthless,  as  the  last  three  before  the  captivity. 

One  who  was  evil  exceedingly  turned  to  God.  It  was 
Manasseh.     In  affliction  and  captivity,*  he  repented  of  his 

*  "  The  monuments  at  Babylon  distinctly  mention  '  Manasseh,  king  of 
Judah,'  among  the  tributaries  of  Esarhaddon  ;  and  though  no  direct  confir- 
mation has  as  yet  been  found  of  the  captivity  and  restoration  of  the  Jewish 
monarch,  yet  the  narrative  contains  an  incidental  allusion  which  is  in  very 
remarkable  harmony  with  the  native  records.  One  is  greatly  surprised  at 
first  hearing  that  the  generals  of  an  Assyrian  king,  on  capturing  a  rebel, 
carried  him  to  Babylon  instead  of  Nineveh  ;  one  is  almost  inclined  to  sus- 
pect a  mistake.  '  What  has  a  king  of  Assyria  to  do  with  Babylon  ? '  one 
naturally  asks.  The  reply  is,  that  Esarhaddon,  and  he  only  of  all  the 
Assyrian  kings,  actually  was  king  of  Babylon — that  he  built  a  palace,  and 
occasionally  held  his  court  there — and  that  consequently  a  captive  was  as 
likely  to  be  brought  to  him  at  that  city  as  at  the  metropolis  of  Assyria 
proper.  Had  the  narrative  fallen  under  the  reign  of  any  other  Assyrian 
monarch,  this  explanation  could  not  have  been  given,  and  the  difficulty 
would  have  been  considerable.     Occurring  when  it  does,  it  furnishes  no 


182  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

career  of  wickedness  and  cruelty,  and  when  restored  to  his 
throne,  bore  himself  as  a  servant  of  God.  The  record  of 
this  in  the  Chronicles  is  very  brief — just  enough  to  show 
how  the  divine  grace  could  abound  to  a  most  flagitious 

o  o 

sinner,  but  encouraging  no  one  to  presume  on  a  late  repen- 
tance. In  "  the  Books  of  the  Seers,"  now  lost,  the  matter 
was  recorded  at  length.  The  prayer  of  the  penitent  king 
is  alluded  to  as  written  among  "  the  sayings  of  the  Seers," 
possibly  the  same  as  that  Greek  "prayer  of  Manasses" 
which  precedes  the  Book  of  Maccabees  in  the  ordinary 
collection  of  the  Apocrypha. 

Others  who  began  well  on  David's  throne  made  a  sorry 
end.  Joash,  after  all  his  early  love  for  the  temple, 
hearkened  to  the  princes  who  were  more  prone  to  heathenism 
than  the  people,  and  "served  groves  and  idols."  Nay, 
he  rejected  the  admonition  of  the  son  and  successor  of  his 
old  friend  and  preserver,  the  high  priest  Jehoiada;  and 
the  faithful  witness  Zechariah  was  "  stoned  with  stones,  at 
the  commandment  of  the  king  in  the  court  of  the  House 
of  the  Lord."  The  end  of  Joash  was  very  unhappy.  He 
suffered  much  from  complicated  disease ;  he  was  assassin- 
ated ;  and  his  body,  though  buried  in  the  city  of  David, 
was  not  laid  in  the  sepulchres  of  the  kings. 

His  son,  Amaziah,  had  a  similar  history.  He  began 
well,  but  in  course  of  years  fell  into  idolatry,  weakened  his 
kingdom,  and  died  by  the  hands  of  conspirators.  The 
next  of  the  royal  line,  Uzziah,  also  disappoints  us.     He 


difficulty  at  all,  but  is  one  of  those  small  points  of  incidental  agreement 
which  are  more  satisfactory  to  a  candid  mind  than  even  a  very  large  amount 
of  harmony  in  the  main  narrative." — Rawlinsori's  Bampton  Lectures.  Lect. 
VI.,  pp.  114,  115.;  2d  Ed. 


II.  CHRONICLES.  183 

began  well,  and  prospered;  "but  when  he  was  strong,  his 
heart  was  lifted  up  to  his  destruction."  He  usurped  the 
priest's  office,  and  presumed  to  burn  incense  at  the  altar  in 
the  Holy  Hace.  There  fell  on  him,  as  a  mark  of  Divine 
displeasure,  the  plague  of  leprosy.  "  And  Uzziah  the  king 
was  a  leper  unto  the  day  of  his  death,  and  dwelt  in  a 
several  house." 

Even  the  best  of  the  kings  came  short.  Hezekiah,  who 
bore  himself  so  well  in  time  of  trouble,  failed  and  erred  in 
prosperity.  After  the  withdrawal  of  the  great  Sennacherib, 
complimentary  embassies  came  to  the  king  of  Judah. 
Among  them  was  one  from  Babylon — ominous  name  ! — by 
which  the  heart  of  Hezekiah  was  elated.*  The  king  of 
Assyria  had  threatened  him,  and  he  prayed.  The  king  of 
terrors  (as  death  is  often  called)  threatened  him  too,  and 
he  prayed.*|"  These  did  him  no  harm,  but  good.  But, 
when  the  king  of  Babylon  sent  to  him  letters  and  a 
present,  Hezekiah  was  thrown  off  his  guard,  and  prayed 
not.  The  letters  from  Babylon  he  neglected  to  spread 
before  the  Lord,  but,  flattered  by  such  attention,  he  showed 
the  ambassadors  "the  house  of  his  precious  things." 
"  There  was  nothing  in  his  house,  nor  in  all  his  dominion, 

*  "  The  fact  of  the  embassy,  which  seems  improbable,  if  we  only  know 
the  general  condition  of  Babylon  at  the  period  to  have  been  one  of  subjec- 
tion to  Assyria,  becomes  highly  probable,  when  we  learn — both  from 
Berosus  and  the  monuments — that  there  was  a  fierce  and  bi  ter  hostility 
between  Merodach-Baladan  and  the  Assyrian  monarchs,  from  whose 
oppressive  yoke  he  more  than  once  freed  his  country.  The  ostensible 
motive  of  the  embassy — to  inquire  about  an  astronomical  marvel  (the  going 
back  of  the  shadow  on  the  dial,  2  Chron.  xxxii.  31) — is  also  highly  probable 
in  the  case  of  a  country  where  astronomy  held  so  high  a  rank,  where  the 
temples  were  observatories,  and  the  religion  was  to  a  great  extent  astral." — 
Raidinson's  Bampton  Lectures.     Lect.  IV.,  p.  119. )  2d  Ed. 

■f   2  Chron.  xxxii.  24 ;  Isa.  xxxviii. 


184  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

that  Hezekiah  showed  them  not."  From  that  day,  the 
greed  of  Babylon  was  not  satisfied  till  it  took  and  plun- 
dered Jerusalem.  Thus  did  a  godly  man  err,  when  "  God 
left  him  to  try  him,  that  he  might  know  all  that  was  in 
his  heart."  A  grave  warning  it  is  to  us,  that  the  smile  of 
the  world  may  do  us  more  harm  than  its  frown;  and  that 
a  spirit  which  has  been  braced  by  difficulty,  and  invigor- 
ated through  danger,  is  likely  enough  after  all  to  be 
enfeebled  by  ease  and  beguiled  by  flattery. 

The  writer  of  the  "  Pilgrim's  Progress,"  with  his  unfail- 
ing spiritual  tact,  lets  Christian  and  Hopeful  proceed  far 
on  their  heavenward  way,  and  then  shows  how,  with  all 
their  experience,  they  became  entangled  in  the  net  of  the 
Flatterer.  Unable  to  escape,  they  lay  bewailing  themselves, 
till  a  Shining  One  came  to  them  with  a  whip  of  small 
cord  in  his  hand.  He  rent  the  net,  and  led  the  pilgrims 
back  into  the  good  way.  "He  asked,  moreover,  if  the 
Shepherds  did  not  bid  them  beware  of  the  Flatterer? 
They  answered,  Yes :  but  we  did  not  imagine,  said  they, 
that  this  fine-spoken  man  had  been  he."  Then  the  Shining 
One  chastised  them,  saying,  "  As  many  as  1  love,  I  rebuke 
and  chastise;  be  zealous,  therefore,  and  repent."  So  they 
thanked  Him,  and  went  softly  on  their  way.  Lay  the  story 
to  heart,  all  ye  that  bend  your  steps  towards  the  Celestial 
City.  Somewhere  on  the  way  you  will  be  flattered  to 
your  hurt;  and  if  you  take  pleasure  from  the  Flatterer, 
you  shall  have  to  take  a  whipping  from  your  loving 
Saviour. 

The  entire  history  contained  in  this  book  is  full  of 
admonition  for  individuals,  for  the  Church,  and  for  the 


//.  CHRONICLES.  185 

nations.  The  catastrophe  at  the  close  may  well  cause 
great  searchings  of  heart.  Sin  ruined  all — the  house  of 
David — the  temple  of  Solomon — the  city  of  so  many  grand 
and  holy  memories.  There  is  no  heart,  no  house,  no 
kingdom,  no  Church,  that  sin  will  not  undermine  and 
destroy.  In  the  end  of  the  hook,  God  seems  to  weep  over 
Jerusalem,  but  He  would  not  force  upon  it  His  worship  or 
His  law.  He  spoke  to  the  kings  and  the  people  by  His 
prophets.  If  they  would  not  hearken,  nothing  could  pre- 
vent their  destruction.  In  a  later  age,  the  Son  of  God 
wept  over  Jerusalem,  because  its  children  would  not  be 
gathered  to  Him.  The  "City  of  Solemnities"  would 
ruin  itself  again.  The  same  love  of  God  yearns  still  over 
cities,  countries,  Churches,  families,  and  individual  men, 
women,  and  children.  We  beseech  you  all  to  gather  with 
the  happy  brood  under  His  wings,  and  learn  the  things 
that  belong  to  your  peace,  lest  they  be  hid  from  your 
eyes. 


EZEA. 

Ezra  is  supposed  to  have  written  this  book,  and  to  have 
edited  and  revised  the  Old  Testament  Canon  of  Scripture. 
He  was  a  priest,  lineally  descended  from  Aaron — a  great 
student  of  the  Holy  Writings,  "  a  ready  scribe  in  the  law 
of  Moses."  "We  infer  that  he  was  a  man  of  note  among 
the  captives  in  Babylon,  from  his  having  attracted  the 
favour  and  confidence  of  the  king  of  Persia,  who  "  granted 
him  all  his  request." 

This  history  resembles  the  Chronicles  in  style,  in  its 
preservation  of  genealogical  tables,  and  in  the  prominence 
it  gives  to  the  succession  of  the  priests,  the  order  and 
courses  of  the  Levites,  and  the  appointments  for  Divine 
service.  It  tells  us  of  the  rebuilding  of  the  temple,  and  the 
restoration  of  public  worship  in  Jerusalem.  The  Gentiles 
still  retained  power  over  Judah  and  Jerusalem :  they 
retain  it  to  this  day.  But  the  Son  of  David  was  to  be 
manifested  in  the  city  where  David  had  reigned — the  Lord 
was  to  come  to  His  temple ;  and,  in  order  to  His  manifes- 
tation and  coming,  it  was  needful  that  some  at  least  of  the 
Jews  should  be  led  back  from  captivity,  and  planted  in 
Palestine  with  the  polity  and  worship  of  their  fathers. 
In  the  fulness  of  time  Jesus  Christ  came,  and  was  declared 


EZRA.  187 

to  bo  the  Son  of  David ;  but  the  Jews  rejected  Him,  and 
would  have  no  king  but  Cassar.  So  He  took  not  at  that 
time  the  throne  of  His  father  David,  which  the  Lord  God 
assigned  to  Him  at  His  nativity.  He  went  to  a  far 
country,  even  a  heavenly, — and  the  temple  fell, — the  Jews 
were  scattered  again  from  their  land,  and  so  continue, 
having  no  king  but  Caesar.  The  Son  of  David,  however, 
will  come  a  second  time,  and  receive  the  kingdom.  Then 
shall  be  the  great  restoration  of  Israel;  and  the  whole 
earth  shall  be  filled  with  the  glory  of  Jesus. 

The  Book  of  Ezra  covers  a  period  of  about  eighty  years. 
In  the  events  related  to  the  end  of  the  sixth  chapter,  the 
writer  took  no  part.  They  were  before  his  time,  or  oc- 
curred in  his  childhood.  Twenty  years  passed  during 
these  transactions.  A  space  of  about  sixty  years  intervenes 
between  the  sixth  chapter  and  the  seventh.  Then  Ezra 
personally  appears  ;  and  the  events  described  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  book,  in  which  he  bore  the  prominent  part, 
occurred  in  course  of  a  few  months.  No  signs  or  wonders 
are  recorded.  The  miraculous  element,  so  abundant  in 
some  of  the  books  through  which  we  have  passed,  is 
entirely  wanting  here :  and  the  history  takes  a  subdued 
tone,  in  harmony  with  the  feebleness  and  depression  of  the 
period. 

I.  Of  the  part  played  in  this  History  by  Gentile 
Kings. — Eour  are  mentioned — Cyrus,  Darius,  Ahasuerus, 
and  Artaxerxes ;  and,  in  accordance  with  the  purpose  of 
Holy  Writ,  these  mighty  monarchs  are  alluded  to,  not  at  all 
in  their  relation  to  their  subjects  at  large,  or  the  general 
history  of  the  world,  but  simply  and  solely  as  they  affected 


188  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

the  career  of  Israel,  and  of  revealed  religion  in  its  Old 
Testament  form. 

Cyrus  (Koresli)  means  in  Persian  the  sun,  thus  corre- 
sponding with  the  Egyptian  title  Phrah  or  Pharaoh.  The 
Prince  who  bore  that  name,  both  in  sacred  and  profane 
history,  is  one  of  the  chief  heroes  of  antiquity,  and  is 
known  to  our  schoolboys  from  the  romantic  pages  of 
Xenophon.  It  was  he  who,  at  the  head  of  the  Medo-Per- 
sian  army,  took  Babylon  by  the  stratagem  of  diverting  the 
course  of  the  river,  and  marching  along  its  dry  bed  into 
the  heart  of  the  city.  A  Median  Prince,  Darius,  then 
ruled  over  Babylonia  for  two  years.  At  his  death,  Cyrus 
assumed  the  government  of  the  whole  empire,  and  was 
supreme  throughout  Western  Asia.  The  prophet  Daniel 
enjoyed  his  confidence  as  he  had  that  of  Darius  :  *  and  we 
can  imagine  the  venerable  man  showing  to  the  king  the 
roll  of  the  prophet  Isaiah,  in  which  the  name  of  Cyrus 
was  written,  and  his  capture  of  Babylon  and  restoration  of 
the  Jews  were  clearly  predicted  two  hundred  years  before 
— "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  to  His  anointed,  to  Cyrus,  whose 
right  hand  I  have  holden,  to  subdue  nations  before  him," 
&c.-f-  Whether  Cyrus  was  informed  of  and  influenced  by 
this  prophecy  or  not,  it  is  certain  that,  as  a  Persian  and  a 
Monotheist,  he  must  have  been  favourably  disposed  to- 
wards the  Jews,  in  contrast  with  the  idolaters  of  Babylon. 
And,  in  the  first  year  of  his  reign — i.e.,  his  reign  over 
Babylonia — he  put  an  end  to  the  forced  exile  of  the 
Jewish  people,  conceding  to  them  by  decree  full  liberty 
to  return  to  their  own  land,  and  build  the  house  of  Jeho- 
vah their  God  in  Jerusalem. 

*  See  Daniel  vi.  28.  f  Isaiah  xlv.  1-13. 


EZRA.  189 

Much  difference  of  opinion  has  existed  on  the  identifica- 
tion of  the  other  kings  named  in  this  book  with  those 
mentioned  in  profane  history  as  the  Persian  Emperors. 
Darius,  we  have  no  doubt,  is  the  Darius  Hystaspes,  a  most 
able  and  vigorous  ruler,  of  whom  we  have  a  long  account 
in  Herodotus.  His  successor,  Xerxes,  an  ostentatious  and 
luxurious  prince,  is  most  probably  the  Ahasuerus  of  Scrip- 
ture ;  and  the  Artaxerxes  mentioned  in  the  7th  chapter  of 
this  book,  and  in  that  of  Nehemiah,  is  the  Artaxerxes 
Lonjrimanus  of  the  Greek  historians*  These  were  anion gt 
the  most  arbitrary  sovereigns  the  world  ever  saw,  yet  were 
they,  in  all  that  related  to  the  Jews,  the  unconscious  instru- 
ments of  a  far  higher  Power — the  Will  of  God,  which  works 
through  all  history,  and,  by  the  march  of  armies,  the  revo- 
lutions of  empires,  and  the  decrees  of  princes,  as  well  as 
through  the  gentler  forces  of  civilisation  and  peace,  carries 
out  benign  purposes,  and  fulfils  the  roll  of  prophecy. 

II.  Of  the  Jews  who  returned  to  Jerusalem,  and 
their  Leaders. 

1.  The  first  expedition  returned  under  the  decree  of 
Cyrus.  It  numbered  in  all  about  50,000  souls.  At  their 
head  were  Zerubbabel  and  Jeshua.  The  former,  called  by 
the  Persians  "  Sheshbazzar,  the  Prince  of  Judah,"  was  the 
representative  of  the  House  of  David,  and  as  such  entitled 
to  the  first  position.  Into  his  care  Cyrus  delivered  the 
golden  and  silver  vessels  of  the  Temple,  which  Nebuchad- 
nezzar had  carried  away  to  Babylon.  The  latter  of  these 
eminent  men  was  High  Priest,  and  is  prominent  in  the 

*  On  the  Persian  kings  named  by  Ezra,  see  Bleek's  IntroJ.  to  the  Old 
Testament,  English  edition,  vol.  i.,  pp.  419-422. 


190  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

visions  of  the  Prophet  Zechariah .*  The  two  worthies,  re- 
presenting civil  and  sacred  authority,  proceeded  in  entire 
harmony  to  lay  the  foundations  of  a  second  temple  in 
Jerusalem,  to  set  the  priests  and  Levites  in  their  order  for 
service,  to  erect  an  altar  for  burnt-offerings,  and  to  recall 
the  song  of  the  good  days  of  old— "For  He  is  good,  for  His 
mercy  endureth  for  ever."  It  was  a  time  of  great  emo- 
tion, loud  weeping,  and  louder  joy.  As  it  is  graphically 
told — "  Many  of  the  priests  and  Levites  and  chief  of  the 
fathers,  who  were  ancient  men,  that  had  seen  the  first 
house,  when  the  foundation  of  this  house  was  laid  before 
their  eyes,  wept  with  a  loud  voice ;  and  many  shouted 
aloud  for  joy:  so  that  the  people  could  not  discern  the 
noise  of  the  shout  of  joy  from  the  noise  of  the  weeping  of 
the  people ;  for  the  people  shouted  with  a  loud  shout,  and 
the  noise  was  heard  afar  off."  f 

The  Samaritans  and  other  colonists,  or  settlers,  of 
heathen  and  semi-heathen  origin,  made  advances  to  the 
Jews,  and  proffered  their  co-operation.  It  was  refused  by 
Zerubbabel  and  his  associates,  because  they  were  resolved 
to  keep  the  work  in  the  hands  of  Jews  of  pure  extrac- 
tion. Indeed  the  whole  tone  of  the  histories  after  the 
captivity  (Ezra,  Nehemiah,  and  Esther)  is  intensely  anti- 
heathen  and  exclusive.  The  result  was  that  the  Samari- 
tans resented  this  treatment,  and  hindered  the  Jews — even 
writing  an  accusation  of  disloyalty  against  them  to  the 
Persian  king,  and  obtaining  a  decree  to  stop  the  works  at 
Jerusalem. 

A  long  delay  ensued ;  but  the  Jews,  being  stirred  up  by 
the  appeals  of  Haggai  and  Zechariah,  the  prophets  of  the 

*  Zech.  iii.  Ezra  iii.  12,  13. 


EZRA.  191 

time,  resumed  the  building  of  the  temple.  In  vindication 
of  their  liberty  to  do  so,  they  appealed  to  the  original  de- 
cree of  Cyrus.  Search  being  made  for  it,  the  document 
was  found  among  the  archives  in  a  palace  in  Media ;  and 
King  Darius  confirmed  it  in  most  vigorous  terms,  requiring 
that  every  facility  should  be  given  to  the  governor  and 
elders  of  the  Jews.  Accordingly,  the  work  was  prosecuted 
with  zeal,  and  the  temple  was  completed  in  about  twenty 
years  after  Zerubbabel  laid  its  foundation.  The  word  of 
the  Lord  by  Zechariah  was  fulfilled — "The  hands  of 
Zerubbabel  have  laid  the  foundation  of  this  house ;  his 
hands  shall  also  finish  it."*  The  feast  of  dedication  was 
kept  with  every  sign  of  joy;  for,  though  it  was  a  "day  of 
small  things"  compared  with  the  dedication  of  the  first 
temple,  it  was  a  day  to  be  much  remembered,  when  the 
Lord  turned  again  the  captivity  of  His  people,  restored 
their  religious  privileges  and  consolations,  and  did  great 
things  for  them  in  the  sight  of  the  heathen,  whereof  they 
were  glad. 

The  period  of  the  captivity  had  been  just  seventy  years, 
as  Jeremiah  foretold.  If  we  count  from  Nebuchadnezzar's 
first  invasion  and  carrying  away  of  captives,  to  the  decree 
of  Cyrus,  and  the  return  of  the  first  expedition  under  Zer- 
ubbabel, we  compute  seventy  years.  Or,  if  we  reckon 
from  the  later  date  of  the  destruction  of  the  first  temple  to- 
the  later  date  of  the  dedication  of  the  second,  we  also  find 
seventy  years.  The  appointed  space  of  time  having 
elapsed,  God 

Brought  them  back, 
Remembering  mercy,  and  his  covenant  sworn 
To  David,  establish'd  as  the  days  of  heaven. 

*  Zech.  it.  9. 


192  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

2.  It  was  about  sixty  years  "  after  these  things  "  *  that 
the  second  expedition  left  Babylon.  Darius  continued  to 
reign  for  thirty-one  years.  Then  Ahasuerus  (Xerxes)  was 
king  for  twenty-one  years;  so  that  the  whole  Book  of 
Esther  falls  chronologically  within  the  gap  between  the  6th 
and  7th  chapters  of  the  history  before  us.  Artaxerxes  suc- 
ceeded Xerxes ;  and  in  the  seventh  year  of  his  reign,  with 
his  cordial  approval,  Ezra  in  person  led  a  second  company 
of  Jews  to  Jerusalem.  They  were  not  nearly  so  many  as 
returned  with  Zerubbabel,  for  by  this  time  the  Jews  had 
made  themselves  at  home  in  various  provinces  of  the  em- 
pire ;  they  had  prospered  greatly  under  Esther  and  Mor- 
decai,  in  the  latter  years  of  Xerxes,  and  were  not  very 
eager  to  exchange  their  rich  settlements  among  the 
heathen  for  the  poor  prospect  of  re-colonising  Judea. 
But  Ezra  gathered  together  "chief  men  of  Israel,"  with 
a  good  many  priests  and  Levites,  and  received  from  the 
king  a  valuable  offering  of  gold  and  silver  vessels  for  the 
new  temple  at  Jerusalem. 

With  simplicity,  one  may  almost  say  with  naivete,  the 
good  scribe  tells  us  that  he  was  ashamed  to  ask  a  guard  of 
soldiers  from  the  king,  because  he  had  spoken  to  Artaxerxes 
of  the  protection  of  the  Almighty  God.  Piather  than 
weaken  the  force  of  his  testimony,  or  give  opportunity  for 
a  heathen  taunt  in  reply,  he  held  his  peace,  and  took  the 
risk  of  a  journey  unarmed  through  many  foes.  Or  rather, 
he  cast  his  anxiety  on  Jehovah,  proclaiming  for  his  com- 
panions a  fast  before  they  set  out.  "  So  we  fasted  and 
besought  our  God  for  this,  and  He  was  entreated  of  us." 
The  journey  of  about  700  miles  was  then  safely  acconi- 

*  Ezra  vii.  1. 


EZRA.  193 

plished ;  and  Ezra,  on  arriving  at  Jerusalem,  at  once  be- 
gan his  work  of  reforming  abuses,  and  insisting  on  the 
separation  of  Israel  to  God. 

About  thirteen  years  after  this  time,  there  went  up 
a  third  expedition  under  Xehemiah — but  it  is  not  men- 
tioned in  this  book,  which  indeed  is  of  a  fragmentary 
character,  and  ends  abruptly.  We  know,  however,  that 
Ezra  still  lived  in  Jerusalem  during  the  government  of 
Xehemiah,  and  heartily  co-operated  with  him  in  his  re- 
forming labours.  Indeed,  the  Joshua  and  Zerubbabel  of  the 
beginning  of  the  restoration  period,  may  be  said  to  reappear 
in  Ezra  and  Nehemiah,  the  Scribe  and  the  Tirshatha,  the 
ecclesiastical  and  civil  leaders  of  Judah  and  Jerusalem. 

III.  Of  the  religious  beaeings  of  this  histoey. 

The  captivity  effectually  cured  the  Jews  of  their  hanker- 
ing after  strange  gods.  They  returned  to  their  land  with 
an  abhorrence  of  idol  worship,  and  resumed  their  place  as 
witnesses  to  the  supremacy  and  sole  deity  of  Jehovah.  To 
this  day,  they  have  never  forgotten  the  lesson,  and,  into 
whatever  earthliuess  and  blindness  of  heart  they  have 
fallen,  they  have  never  relapsed  into  any  such  heathenism 
as  that  of  Ahaz  and  Manasseh  before  the  captivity. 

They  were,  however,  at  first  in  some  danger  of  doing  so. 
>Then  Ezra  came  to  Jerusalem,  his  joy  in  beholding  the 
new  temple  and  the  order  of  its  services,  was  soon  damped 
by  the  discovery,  that  the  people,  with  some  of  the  priests 
and  Levites,  were  intermarrying  and  mingling  with  heathen 
families  in  the  neighbourhood.  The  princes,  indeed,  re- 
ported the  thing  to  him,  that  he,  as  a  well-instructed  scribe, 
might  direct  what  should  be  done.     Ezra  discerned  at  once 

N 


*94  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

the  seriousness  of  the  mischief  at  work.  He  was  filled 
with  grief,  and  struck  dumb.  Or,  to  quote  his  own 
words,  in  true  oriental  style — "  I  rent  my  garment  and  my 
mantle,  and  plucked  off  the  hair  of  my  head  and  of  my 
heard,  and  sat  down  astonied.  Then  were  assembled  unto 
me  every  one  that  trembled  at  the  words  of  the  God  of 
Israel,  because  of  the  transgression  of  those  that  had  been 
carried  away;  and  I  sat  astonied  until  the  evening 
sacrifice."  * 

This  thing  was  ominous,  because — 

1.  It  betrayed  want  of  faith  in  God,  mistrust  of  His 
protection,  when  His  people  sought  to  strengthen  themselves 
by  alliances  with  the  heathen. 

2.  It  transgressed  an  express  command  of  God  in  Deut. 
vii.  3,  4. 

3.  It  paved  the  way  for  a  relapse  into  idolatry.  In  this 
manner  was  the  wise  King  Solomon  beguiled  to  folly ;  and 
by  this  familiarity  with  the  worshippers,  and  then  with 
the  worship  of  strange  gods,  were  the  kingdoms  of  Israel 
and  Juclah  corrupted  and  overthrown. 

So  Ezra  sat  astonied.  It  seemed  as  if  the  nation  had 
quite  forgotten  its  history,  and  that  all  its  affliction  and 
captivity  had  left  it  no  wiser  than  before.  But  at  last, 
the  good  scribe,  taking  encouragement  from  the  evening 
sacrifice  to  spread  the  matter  before  the  Lord,  fell  on  his 
knees,  and,  with  the  concurrence  of  the  pious  Jews  around 
him,  poured  out  a  prayer,  which  is  one  of  the  choice  por- 
tions of  this  book.  It  contains  no  petition,  but  much  con- 
fession of  sin ;  and  is  expressed  throughout  in  a  subdued 
and  plaintive  tone,  harmonising  with  a  period  oi  anxiety 

*  Ezra  ix.  3,  4. 


EZRA.  195 

and  struggle.  In  a  spirit  of  humility,  Ezra  judged  himself 
and,  in  his  intense  patriotism  or  nationalism,  identified 
himself  with  his  people,  even  in  faults  which  individually 
he  abhorred.  "  We  are  implicated  in  this  sin,"  he  said, 
"and  we  have  to  meet  the  consequences."  No  one  is  re- 
sponsible to  God  merely  as  a  unit  or  individual.  Every 
one  is  member  of  some  family  and  of  some  nation,  and 
carries  corresponding  responsibilities,  moral  and  religious. 
Thus  a  man  of  God  may  have  to  cry — "  Our  iniquities  are 
increased  over  our  head,  and  our  trespass  is  grown  up  unto 
the  heavens."  It  is  no  excuse,  that  sins  are  old  and 
ancestral.  Kather  it  aggravates  their  heinousness.  Ezra 
confessed  that  the  sin  of  the  Jews  in  this  matter  was  com- 
mitted against  the  admonitions  of  history,  and  the  com- 
mandments of  God  by  His  servants  the  prophets.  In  this 
respect,  he  felt  the  sin  to  be  a  gross  insult  to  Jehovah ; 
and,  as  one  may  be  ashamed  to  look  another  in  the  face 
whom  he  has  treated  with  ingratitude,  so  the  scribe,  as 
confessing  the  base  offence  committed  by  priests,  Levites, 
and  people,  cried — "  O  my  God,  I  am  ashamed  and  blush 
to  lift  up  my  face  to  thee,  my  God." 

The  prayer  was  heard  in  heaven,  and  repentance  was 
granted  to  Israel.  Ezra  led  in  reformation,  as  he  had  done 
in  confession,  and  insisted  on  prompt  and  vigorous  measures. 
The  foreign  wives,  illegally  married  by  Jews,  must  be  put 
away — not  quite  unprovided  for,  one  hopes.  A  severe 
remedy,  hard  to  flesh  and  blood;  but  then  the  crisis' was 
very  serious,  and  mild  measures  could  not  meet  the 
emergency.  On  the  entire  separation  of  Judah  to  God, 
depended  the  character  and  future  fate  of  the  colony.  And 
Ezra  deserved  well  of  his  nation  for  having  the  discern- 


196  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

merit  to  apprehend  the  nature  and  urgency  of  the  crisis, 
the  piety  to  confess  the  fault  without  guile,  and  the  courage 
to  apply  the  only  sufficient  remedy. 

This  is  not  the  only  good  service  rendered  to  the  people 
of  Judah  by  Ezra  the  scribe.  The  Book  of  Nehemiah  tells 
of  his  care  to  make  the  people  know  and  understand  the 
law.  Tradition  ascribes  to  him  the  founding  of  synagogues, 
the  prototypes  of  our  Christian  churches.  But  let  us  be 
content  with  what  this  book  relates.  It  brings  before  us 
a  man  of  study,  who  was  also  a  man  of  action,  a  man  of 
lowly  prayer  and  lofty  moral  courage.  It  shows  us  a  type 
of  piety  which  we  do  well  to  consider — a  heart  trembling 
at  God's  word — a  sensitive  regard  to  God's  will  and  glory 
— a  profound  feeling  of  the  shamefulness  of  disloyalty  to 
Him — and  a  stringent  ideal  of  the  purity  and  separation 
from  the  world,  that  ought  to  characterise  His  worshippers. 

Let  us  confess  our  sins — not  omitting  those  of  our 
fathers  and  of  our  nation.  Let  us  own  our  perversity  and 
unfaithfulness  to  God.  And  what  shall  we  say?  Say 
with  Ezra,  "  0  Lord  God  of  Israel,  thou  art  righteous.  .  .  . 
We  cannot  stand  before  thee  because  of  this."  When  we 
cannot  stand,  and  acknowledge  that  we  cannot,  God  is 
gracious  to  us  through  Jesus  Christ,  and  grants  us  forgive- 
ness of  sins  in  His  righteousness.  "  If  we  confess  our  sins, 
he  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse 
us  from  all  unrighteousness."  * 

Let  us  put  away  the  sins  we  confess.  If  the  Holy  Spirit 
actuates  us,  and  the  glory  of  God  is  dear  to  us,  we  must 
separate  from  all  that  compromises  or  defiles.  No  matter 
*  1  John  i.  o. 


EZRA,  107 

what  this  costs  of  present  pain,  it  must  be  done.  .Better 
to  cut  off  a  right  arm,  or  pluck  out  a  right  eye,  than  let 
ourselves  be  led  thereby  into  sin  against  God.  Confession 
and  reformation — there  is  no  other  right  way  for  us,  or 
path  of  safety.  "  He  that  covereth  his  sins  shall  not  pros- 
per, but  whoso  confesseth  and  forsaketh  them  shall  have 
mercy."  * 

*  Prov.  xxviii.  13. 


NEHEMIAH. 

This  is,  with,  the  exception  of  Malachi,  the  very  latest 
book  in  the  Old  Testament. 

Ezra  has  told  us  of  the  restoration  of  the  temple  and 
divine  worship  after  the  return  from  captivity.  Nehemiah 
relates  the  rebuilding  of  the  city  of  Jerusalem  with  its 
walls  and  gates,  and  the  re-establishment  of  the  Jews  in 
their  land. 

The  throne  of  David  was  not  set  up  again.  Both  as 
respects  their  liberty  to  worship  in  a  temple,  and  as 
respects  their  civil  condition  and  the  restoration  of  their 
capital,  the  Jews  continued  under  the  power  of  the  Gen- 
tiles. So  were  they  destined  to  be,  till  the  coming  of  the 
Messiah,  separate  from  other  nations,  but  dependent  suc- 
cessively on  the  Persians,  Macedonians,  Egyptians,  Syrians, 
and  Romans.  The  gallant  Maccabees,  it  is  true,  obtained 
the  governorship  of  Judea,  but  they  had  to  seek  the  pro- 
tection of  the  Eomans.  After  their  time,  Herod  was  made 
king  by  the  favour  of  Marc  Antony  and  the  Eoman 
Senate,  but  he  never  pretended  to  reign  on  the  throne  of 
David.  It  alarmed  him  exceedingly,  to  hear  of  a  Child 
that  was  born  "  King  of  the  Jews."  The  old  royal  family 
had  long  fallen  into  obscurity,  and  was  represented  in 


NEHEMIAH.  199 

Herod's  time  by  w  a  just  man,"  who  wrought  as  a  carpenter 
at  the  town  of  Nazareth  in  Galilee.  Alas  for  Judah ! 
"When  Jesus  was  born  King  of  the  Jews,  He  was  rejected 
and  driven  away.  "When  Jesus  died,  He  was  crucified, 
with  this  "  accusation  set  up  over  His  head,  This  is  Jesus 
the  King  of  the  Jews."  The  Jews  said  that  they  wTould 
have  no  king  but  Ccesar ;  and  so  they  continue  still  under 
the  power  of  the  Gentiles,  without  king,  country,  or 
government  of  their  own. 

Nehemiah  was  a  man  of  the  good  old  stamp  of  Joshua 
and  Caleb — faithful,  pious,  patriotic,  brave.  But  he 
raised  no  standard  against  the  Gentiles.  Having  under- 
standing of  the  times,  he  was  content  to  re-establish  the 
Jews  on  their  own  soil,  under  the  protection  of  the  great 
Persian  empire ;  and  he  did  secure  for  them  that  position 
which,  under  one  or  another  Gentile  protector,  they  were 
to  hold  till  the  coming  of  Christ. 

We  know  the  names  of  his  father  and  brother,*  but 
otherwise  have  no  trace  of  his  parentage  or  early  life. 
He  was  born  in  exile,  and  was  doubtless  told  in  childhood 
of  the  distant  land  of  Judea,  and  the  ancient  renown  oi 
his  nation,  when  they  were  a  people  near  to  God.  He 
grew  up  with  reverence  for  Jehovah,  Israel's  God,  musing 
on  His  promises,  grieving  over  the  unfaithfulness  that  had 
incurred  the  captivity,  hearing  with  eagerness  of  the  pro- 
gress of  those  Jews  who  returned  under  Zerubbabel  and 
Joshua,  and  longing  to  take  some  part  in  the  restoration 
of  the  Holy  City.  As  a  young  man,  he  was  exposed  to 
temptation,  for  he  held  a  place  of  honour  in  the  Persian 
Court,  at  the  magnificent  palace  of  Shushan.  Put  God 
*  Neh.  i.  1  j  vii.  2. 


£00  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

kept  liim  in  the  hour  and  place  of  temptation,  and  nursed 
within  him  a  heroic  national  spirit.  It  has  often  pleased 
God  to  train  His  servants  and  soldiers  in  most  unlikely 
places.  While  members  of  some  pious  households  turn 
out  feeble  and  unprofitable,  mighty  men  for  sacred  enter- 
prises, and  faithful  witnesses  for  times  of  rebuke,  grow  up 
and  wax  strong  in  scenes,  where  one  wonders  that  grace 
could  live  at  all.  Witness  Daniel,  and  the  faithful  three 
who  feared  not  the  furnace,  in  the  court  of  Babylon; 
Nehemiah  in  the  palace  at  Shushan;  Obacliah  in  the 
house  of  Ahab;  saints  in  Csesar's  household. 

His  place  at  court  obtained  for  Nehemiah  a  great  ad- 
vantage— that  of  the  royal  sanction  and  favour  for  the  work 
at  Jerusalem,  which  he  was  called  of  God  to  accomplish. 
The  heathen  king  valued  him  as  a  good  and  faithful  ser- 
vant, all  the  more  that  he  never  sought  to  ingratiate 
himself  with  the  Persians  by  conforming  to  their  religion. 
He  was  an  Israelite  indeed.  like  Moses  in  the  court 
of  Pharaoh,  and  Mordecai  in  that  of  Ahasuerus,  he  never 
forgot  that  he  was  of  the  stock  of  Israel,  and  he  was 
deeply  affected  when  he  heard  of  the  depressed  condition 
of  the  settlement  at  Jerusalem.  What  was  it  to  him  that 
Shushan  was  all  gaiety,  or  that  the  star  of  Persia  was  still 
in  the  ascendant,  if  Judah  languished,  and  the  gates  of 
Jerusalem  lay  waste  !  So  he  fasted  and  prayed — the  right 
way  to  begin  any  great  work  for  God.  In  his  prayer,  he 
asked  that  he  might  find  favour  with  the  king,  whose 
heart  the  Lord  could  turn  as  a  river  of  water. 

After  a  little  delay,  the  desired  opportunity  came.  Ne- 
hemiah's  sad  countenance  arrested  the  notice,  and  excited 
the  displeasure,  of  King  Artaxerxes ;  for  no  one  was  per- 


NEIIEMIAIL  201 

mitted  to  bring  signs  of  grief  into  the  presence  of  the 
Persian  monarch s.*  At  the  gathering  frown  of  the  king, 
the  cupbearer  "was  very  sore  afraid;"  not  merely  because 
his  life  mi  "lit  be  cut  off  at  the  slightest  gesture  of  a 
despot,  but  because  the  object  he  had  at  heart,  the  restora- 
tion of  Jerusalem,  depended  on  the  good  will  of  Arta- 
xerxcs,  and  might  be  lost  unless  he  could  quickly  turn 
away  the  king's  wrath.  Self-possession,  however,  was 
given  to  him  in  that  critical  moment;  and  he  answered 
the  king  with  the  utmost  respect,  but  with  open  declara- 
tion of  the  cause  of  his  distress ;  pathetically  alluding  to 
Jerusalem,  as  "  the  city  of  his  fathers'  sepulchres."  There 
is  a  proverb  that  "  the  wrath  of  a  king  is  as  messengers  of 
death,  but  a  wise  man  will  pacify  it." 

Encouraged  by  Artaxerxes  to  state  his  desire,  Nehemiah 
shot  up  a  swift  prayer  to  the  God  of  heaven,  and  then  an- 
wered  the  king,  "  If  it  please  the  king,  and  ii  thy  servant 
hath  found  favour  in  thy  sight,  that  thou  wouldest  send 
me  unto  Judah,  unto  the  city  of  my  fathers'  sepulchres, 
that  I  may  build  it."  The  request  was  granted;  and 
Nehemiah  got  royal  letters,  and  a  military  escort  for  his 
journey  to  Jerusalem.  Ezra,  thirteen  years  before,  had 
not  asked  for  such  escort ;  but  then  he  went  as  a  priest  to 
restore  the  Temple,  Nehemiah,  as  governor,  to  rebuild  the 
city. 

The  journey  of  Xehemiah  was  safely  accomplished  by 
"the  good  hand  of  his  God  upon  him."  When  he  reached 
Jerusalem,  its  dilapidated  aspect  filled  him  with  grief — a 
grief  all  the  more  poignant,  that  he  found  the  residents 
apparently  contented  with,  and  reconciled  to,  their  condi- 

*  See  Esther  iv.  2. 


202  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

tion.  For  three  days  lie  stayed  in  retirement,  musing,  and 
doubtless  praying.  Then,  by  night,  almost  unattended, 
he  rode  through  the  city  and  carefully  surveyed  its  walls 
and  gates.  He  found  only  ruined  walls,  and  open  gate- 
ways, for  "  the  gates  were  consumed  with  fire."  At  last, 
having  his  soul  filled  with  patriotic  ardour,  he  addressed 
the  priests,  nobles,  and  rulers,  and  said,  "  Come,  let  us 
build!" 

It  was  well,  that  they  took  encouragement  from  the 
Lord  their  God,  for  discouragement  at  once  arose  from  the 
enemies  of  Judah.  The  leaders  of  opposition  were  a 
Horonite  (Moabite),  an  Ammonite,  and  an  Arab,  who 
laughed  the  project  to  scorn.  It  is  no  bad  sign,  however, 
of  a  work  undertaken  for  God,  that  it  has  to  bear  the  jibes 
of  mockers.  The  new  governor  of  Jerusalem  understood 
this  well,  and  sent  at  once  to  the  scornful  enemies  this 
intrepid  reply,  "  The  God  of  heaven,  He  will  prosper  us ; 
therefore  we,  His  servants,  will  arise  and  build;  but  ye 
have  no  portion,  nor  right,  nor  memorial,  in  Jerusalem." 

We  have  now  reached  the  third  chapter  of  the  Book. 
It  contains  an  honourable  register  of  those  who  despaired 
not  of  their  country,  but  uprose,  in  a  time  of  feebleness 
and  depression,  to  rebuild  their  capital.  They  were  of  all 
ranks  and  classes.  First  rose  up,  as  became  him,  the  high 
priest,  with  his  brethren  the  priests.  The  Levites,  too, 
put  their  hands  to  the  work.  Then  came  the  rulers,  mer- 
chants, "goldsmiths,  and  apothecaries" — indeed,  all  the 
well-doing  population  of  the  city.  Some  of  the  ladies  of 
high  rank  showed  a  fine  example  at  this  emergency.  The 
daughters  of  Shallum,  who  was  "  ruler  of  the  half-part  of 
Jerusalem,"  helped  their  father  in  the  work.     Helpers  also 


NE1IEMIAK  20J 

came  in  from  the  small  towns  of  Judea,  rising  superior  to 
all  petty  jealousies,  and  preferring  Jerusalem  above  their 
chief  joy.  There  were  a  few  half-hearted  in  the  enter- 
prise ;  such  as  the  nobles  of  Tekoa,  who  "  put  not  their 
necks  to  the  work  of  their  Lord."  They  seem  to  have 
been  the  magnates  of  a  little  town,  and,  like  petty 
great  people,  in  all  times,  thought  it  enough  to  give 
their  patronage.  They  were  exceptions,  however,  to  the 
general  rule.  The  builders  worked  with  a  will,  and 
on  a  plan  which  gave  exercise  to  both  public  zeal  and 
private  interest.  Every  man  built  over  against  his  own 
house,  or  his  own  chamber,  if  he  were  not  a  separate 
householder.  At  the  same  time,  every  one  was  inspirited 
by  the  thought  that  he  was  filling  up  his  part  of  a  great 
design  for  the  common  good,  and  for  the  welfare,  not  of  a 
gate,  or  street,  or  quarter  of  the  city,  but  of  all  Jerusalem. 

As,  when  judgment  came,  God  said,  "Begin  at  my 
sanctuary,"  so  now,  when  mercy  came,  restoration  began 
at  the  sheep-gate,  so  called,  because  through  it  animals 
for  sacrifice  were  led  to  the  Temple.  And  so  must  it 
always  be  with  a  divine  reformation  in  any  city  or  church. 
It  must  start  from  the  revival  of  the  doctrine  of  sacrifice. 
It  must  begin  at  the  sheep-gate,  and  work  round  to  the 
sheep-gate  again. 

At  the  progress  of  the  building,  the  scorn  of  the  heathen 
was  turned  into  angry  menaces.  Some  of  the  Jews  began 
to  be  seriously  alarmed.  They  were  heard  to  say,  "We  are 
not  able  to  build  the  wall;"  and  a  sort  of  panic  spread. 
Then  Nehemiah  showed  himself  a  fit  leader  and  com- 
mander. He  took  vigorous  measures  of  precaution  against 
the  adversaries,  and  fortified  the  courage  of  his  people,  by 


L'04  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

bidding  them  "remember  the  Lord,  great  and  terrible." 
Every  one  who  built  the  wall  was  to  have  a  sword  girt  on 
his  thigh.  Nehemiah,  himself,  was  to  be  always  in  the 
midst  of  the  workers ;  and  the  trumpeter  was  to  stand  by 
him,,  ready  to  sound  an  alarm,  or  give  the  signal  for  an 
advance.  Thus  was  the  panic  stayed,  and  the  work 
went  forward. 

Our  next  view  of  Nehemiah  shows  him  the  friend  of  the 
poor.  Having  resisted  enemies  without  the  city,  he  also 
redressed  grievances  within.  The  whole  enterprise,  in 
which  the  Jews  were  engaged,  was  endangered  by  ill-feel- 
ing between  the  rich  and  the  poor.  The  latter  were  in 
great  straits,  for  it  was  a  time  of  dearth,  and  had  to  sur- 
render their  lands,  and  even  their  children,  to  rich  usurers. 
The  course  taken  by  Nehemiah  in  these  circumstances  is 
not  to  be  discussed  on  grounds  of  political  economy.  The 
question  was  not,  what  is  allowable  between  man  and 
man  in  transactions,  but  what  was  right,  at  a  period  of 
national  distress,  between  members  of  the  commonwealth 
of  Israel.  To  exact  usury  of  a  brother,  or  countryman, 
was  contrary  to  the  express  law  of  Moses;*  and  it  was 
quite  at  variance  with  the  constitution  which  God  had 
given  to  Israel,  that  the  landed  possessions  of  families 
should  be  wrested  from  them  in  their  temporary  depres- 
sion, and  that  the  soil  of  Palestine  should  be  concentrated 
in  the  hands  of  a  few  hard-hearted  usurers.  So  the 
governor  rebuked  the  rich  for  their  rapacity,  and,  in  a 
public  assembly,  appealed  to  them  for  a  generous  restitu- 
tion of  the  possessions  of  the  poor.  The  issue  was  hon- 
ourable to  all.     The  moral  power  of  love  and  duty  over- 

*  Deut.  xxiii.  19,  20. 


NEHEMIAH.  205 

came  the  evil  with  good.  In  ancient  Eome,  similar  strifes 
between  the  Patricians  and  Hebeians,  tore  the  state  with 
dissension,  and  ended  in  a  bloody  war.  But  in  Jerusalem, 
one  grand  burst  of  kind  religious  feeling  swept  away  the 
cause  of  complaint;  the  rich  freely  restored  the  houses, 
vineyards,  and  olive  yards  of  the  poor;  and  the  people 
were  all  brethren  as  before. 

Xehemiah  had  all  the  more  power  in  making  such  an 
appeal,  that  his  own  character  was  singularly  disinterested. 
His  establishment  was  maintained  from  his  own  resources 
without  cost  to  the  people;  and  he  had  that  princely  spirit 
which  loves  to  give  more  than  to  receive,  and  which  shows 
hospitality  without  grudging. 

"  Blessed  is  he  that  considereth  the  poor,  the  Lord  will 
deliver  him  in  time  of  trouble."  So  sang  King  David  ;  and 
so  it  was  fulfilled  to  JSTehemiah,  immediately  after  he  had 
regained  for  the  poor  their  houses  and  lands.  The  persis- 
tent enemies  of  Jerusalem,  perceiving  him  to  be  the  ruling 
spirit,  sought  to  get  his  person  into  their  power.  But  all 
their  plots  were  defeated. 

First,  they  proposed  a  conference  with  him  in  one  of  the 
villages.  Four  times  they  urged  it;  but  the  governor 
answered  well,  that  he  was  doing  a  great  work,  and  could 
not  come  down.  Then,  they  tried  to  deter  him  by  cir- 
culating false  reports  and  calumnies;  but  he  cast  back 
their  imputations  with  the  boldness  of  an  innocent  mind, 
and  turned  to  God  in  prayer,  that  his  hands  might  be 
strengthened.  Their  next  device  was  more  dangerous. 
They  intrigued  against  JSTehemiah  with  certain  traitors 
within  Jerusalem,  and  hired  false  prophets  to  work  on  his 
fears.    They  knew  not,  however,  the  man  they  dealt  with. 


206  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

He  had  no  fears  for  them  to  work  upon.  He  counted  not 
his  own  life  dear  to  him  that  he  might  finish  his  course 
with  joy.  "  Should  such  a  man  as  I  flee  ? "  was  his  answer. 
Should  a  man,  called  of  God  to  such  an  enterprise,  be 
solicitous  and  timorous  about  his  own  life  ? 

So  he  baffled  his  enemies,  not  by  counter-craft  or  subtle 
policy,  but  by  integrity  of  heart  and  unfeigned  devotion  to 
the  work  of  God.  And  his  success  was  complete.  The 
walls  were  finished  with  great  despatch,  and  Jerusalem 
was  in  comparative  safety.  The  builders  acknowledged, 
and  even  their  enemies  were  forced  to  perceive,  "  that  this 
work  was  wrought  of  our  God." 

The  next  thing  was  to  "  keep  the  city."  So  the  governor 
set  watchers  and  guards.  Then  he  registered  the  people, 
that  he  might  know  those  of  pure  descent  on  whom  he 
could  rely,  and  detect  such  as  said  they  were  Jews  and 
were  not.  The  sum  of  the  people  agrees  with  that  given 
in  Ezra,  42,360.  After  the  census,  a  liberal  free-will 
offering  was  made  for  the  "  treasure  of  the  work."  Nehe 
miah  himself  led  the  way,  presenting  munificent  gifts. 
The  princes  and  people  followed.  The  latter  were  poor 
but  when  the  rich  cast  in  their  gifts,  the  poor  are  seldom 
wanting ;  and  indeed  their  offerings  are  usually  more 
cheerfully  bestowed,  and  more  proportionate  to  their  means, 
than  the  more  conspicuous  donations  of  the  affluent. 

But  no  walls,  or  gates,  or  gifts  could  really  defend 
Jerusalem.  It  ought  to  be  a  holy  city,  with  the  Lord  as 
a  wall  of  fire  round  about,  and  the  glory  in  the  midst.  So 
Nehemiah  resolved  on  reviving  the  knowledge  of  God  in 
His  word,  and  for  this  purpose  had  a  great  "  Bible-reading  " 
in  the  open  air  in  the  street  of  Jerusalem.    The  venerable 


NEHEMIAH.  207 

Ezra  brought  forth  the  roll  of  the  law,  and  stood  to  read  it 
on  a  tower  of  wood  erected  for  the  purpose.  With  his 
associates  and  assistants,  "  he  gave  the  sense "  as  he  pro- 
ceeded ;  for  the  people  had  become  familiar  with  Chaldee, 
and  had  lost  in  part  their  proper  language,  the  Hebrew  in 
which  the  law  was  written. 

By  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin,  and  the  people  wept 
when  they  heard  its  words.  Then  Nehemiah,  Ezra,  and 
the  Levites  were  sons  of  consolation,  and  bade  the  con- 
science-stricken people  look  to  Jehovah  their  God.  So 
the  sorrow  was  turned  to  joy.  "  The  joy  of  the  Lord  is 
your  strength."  The  happy  feast  of  tabernacles  was  then 
kept  in  a  primitive  style,  unknown  since  the  days  of 
Joshua,  the  son  of  Nun. 

But  the  joy  did  not — no  joy  in  this  world  ever  does — 
abolish  the  obligation  to  confess  sin,  or  render  fasting  and 
prayer  superfluous.  The  9th  chapter  describes  the  service 
of  prayer  which  followed  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures. 
Nehemiah  is  not  mentioned,  though  we  can  well  fancy 
him  leading  the  people  in  their  responses.  It  was  the 
Levites  on  the  wooden  stand,  who  cried  with  a  loud  voice 
unto  the  Lord  their  God.  Their  prayer  is  conceived  in 
the  same  plaintive  strain  with  that  of  Ezra,  recorded  in  the 
9th  chapter  of  his  book.  The  sad  record  of  Judah's  dis- 
obedience and  rebellion  is  traced,  and  their  cause  left  in 
the  hands  of  the  great  and  merciful  God. 

After  this  prayer,  Jerusalem  prospered.  Solemn  vows 
of  fidelity  to  God  were  made;  and  a  covenant  signed  and 
sealed,  the  first  name  attached  to  it  being  the  honoured  one 
of  Nehemiah.  Thus  indeed  was  the  prayer  answered,  in  the 
zeal  with  which  all  the  people  were  moved  to  vow  to  the 


208  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

Lord,  and  the  spirit  of  consecration  with  which  they  were 
imbued,  from  the  least  even  to  the  greatest.  The  sins  into 
which  they  had  fallen  were  such  as  obliterated  the  dis- 
tinction between  the  Jews  and  other  nations — intermarriage 
with  the  heathen,  profanation  of  Sabbatic  days  and  years, 
and  exaction  from  their  poor  brethren.  These  sins  they 
now  renounced,  engaging  to  keep  God's  law,  and  to  give 
and  labour  heartily  for  His  house  and  worship. 

After  this,  we  read  of  the  settlement  of  the  rural  dis- 
tricts,— the  rulers  and  one-tenth  of  the  people  occupying 
Jerusalem  itself,  which  was  the  post  of  danger,  as  well  as 
of  privilege.  The  wall  of  the  city  was  dedicated  with  a  great 
public  solemnity.  Priests,  Levites,  singers,  and  players, 
were  there  with  Ezra  their  leader.  The  rulers  of  Judah 
had  the  governor  at  their  head.  The  trumpets  blew.  The 
singers  sang  aloud.  Numerous  sacrifices  were  offered.  And 
all  the  families  in  Jerusalem  were  glad.  "  The  wives  also 
and  the  children  rejoiced,  so  that  the  joy  of  Jerusalem  was 
heard  even  afar  off."  This  notice  of  the  Jewish  families  is 
quite  suggestive.  Into  evil  and  selfish  pleasures,  men  do 
not  care  to  take  their  wives  and  children.  They  leave 
them  at  home  in  silence  and  clulness,  when  they  go  out  to 
their  revelry.  But  into  holy  joys  all  the  members  of  a 
family  may  be  freely  brought.  The  women  of  Israel  were 
never  wanting  in  the  celebration  of  great  national  events 
or  religious  solemnities.  And  the  children  of  Jerusalem 
delighted  the  ear  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Himself  with  their 
sweet  hosannas. 

"What  a  change  in  the  twelfth  chapter  from  the  sadness 
of  the  first !  What  hath  God  wrought  ?  surely  He  had 
visited  His  people,  and  blessed  the  work  of  their  hands. 


NEIIEMIAIL  200 

Yet  there  was  another  change  for  the  worse.  Alas ! 
what  is  man  ?  Even  when  God  has  set  him  right,  he  is 
sure  to  go  wrong  again.  It  happened  that  Nehemiah  was 
obliged  at  this  time  to  return  to  Persia,  and  resume  his 
place  at  court.  In  his  absence,  a  declension  from  God 
began  to  appear  in  Jerusalem,  and  that  in  two  respects — 
remixture  with  the  heathen,  and  desecration  of  the  Sab- 
bath. Eliashib  the  high  priest,  the  very  man  who  should 
have  been  the  guardian  of  the  sanctuary,  actually  lodged 
within  its  precincts  Tobiah,  the  enemy  of  the  Jews,  who 
was  a  family  connection  of  his  own.  Then  the  Levites 
and  singers  went  away  to  the  fields,  to  support  themselves 
by  husbandry,  and  divine  service  fell  into  neglect. 

When  Neheniiah  returned  and  saw  this,  it  "  grieved  him 
sore."  But  he  was  no  mere  lamenter,  to  content  himself 
with  sighs  and  tears  ;  he  was  a  reformer  of  the  most  vigor- 
ous type.  So  he  purified  the  temple.  His  very  approach 
had  made  Tobiah  flee,  and  now  he  cast  out  after  him  his 
"household  stuff."  Then  he  contended  with  the  rulers 
about  the  neglect  of  tithes  and  offerings,  and  stopped  the 
traffic  which  had  been  permitted  on  the  seventh  day,  in- 
cluding a  Sabbath  market  which  the  heathen  had  actually 
set  up  at  the  gate  of  Jerusalem.  He  also  repeated  the 
strict  measure  of  discipline  which  Ezra  had  previously 
enforced,  insisting  on  the  divorce  of  heathen  wives,  whom 
Jews  had  illegally  married.  This  he  did  with  a  certain 
vehemence  of  spirit,  recalling  the  mischief  that  had  fol- 
lowed such  intimacy  with  the  heathen  on  the  part  of  the 
wisest  of  their  kings.  "  Did  not  Solomon,  king  of  Israel, 
sin  by  these  things  ?  Yet  among  many  nations  was  there 
no  king  like  him,  who  was  beloved  of  his  God,  and  God 

o 


210  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

made  him  king  over  all  Israel ;  nevertheless,  even  him 
did  outlandish  women  cause  to  sin." 

In  regard  to  these  reforms,  especially  the  restoration  of 
tithes  and  offerings,  and  the  putting  away  of  heathen 
wives,  it  is  well  to  read  the  Book  of  Malachi,  which  seems 
to  have  been  written  in,  or  soon  after,  the  times  of  Kehe- 
miah,  and  contends  with  the  same  evils  in  Jerusalem 
which  he  so  resolutely  condemned .* 

Xehemiah's  last  words  are,  "  Bemember  me,  0  my  God, 
for  good."  The  secret  of  this  man's  courage  and  efficiency 
lay  in  his  habit  of  prayer,  his  constant  reference  to  God. 
Of  this  wTe  have  evidence  in  almost  every  chapter.  In 
prayer  he  formed  his  plans,  defeated  his  foes,  and  encour- 
aged and  led  his  people.  Praying,  he  first  appears  on  the 
field  of  Judah's  desolation.  Praying,  he  last  appears  on 
the  scene  of  Judah's  prosperity.  If  at  times  we  are  inclined 
to  think  that  he  protests  too  much  of  his  good  motives 
and  good  deeds,  we  should  remember  that  he  was  exposed 
to  envyings  and  malicious  imputations,  and  that  it  was  at 
once  his  right  as  a  faithful  servant,  and  his  needful  consola- 
tion, to  appeal  to  his  God  in  conscious  integrity  of  heart.-)" 

Praying  and  working — this  is  the  combination  that  the 
Church  requires,  and  that  God  will  richly  bless. 

"  What  are  we  set  on  earth  for  ?     Say,  to  toil — 
Nor  seek  to  leave  thy  tending  of  the  vines 
For  all  the  heat  o'  the  day,  till  it  declines, 
And  Death's  mild  curfew  shall  from  work  assoiL 

So  others  shall 
Take  patience,  labour  to  their  heart  and  hand 
From  thy  hand,  and  thy  heart,  and  thy  brave  cheer, 
And  God's  grace  fructify  through  thee  to  all." 

Mrs.  Browning. 

*  See  Mai.  ii.  11 ;  iii.  8-10.  f  Compare  2  Cor.  i.  12. 


NE II EMI  AIL  211 

The  prominent  characteristic  of  Nehemiah  is  zeal  for 
God,  associated  with  a  tender  conscience,  fed  by  a  prayer- 
ful spirit,  and  displayed  in  fearless  action.  All  who  hear 
of  him  will  do  well  to  study  such  a  character.  Like  him, 
make  and  pay  your  vows  in  the  midst  of  Jerusalem.  Like 
him,  live  to  God,  because  you  are  not  your  own,  but  His. 
Like  him,  pray  and  watch,  and  build.  Then  fear  not  for 
"  the  God  of  heaven,  He  will  prosper  you." 


ESTHER. 

This  is  a  book  of  divine  providence.  It  is  written  to 
show  how  God,  without  manifesting  Himself  as  He  had 
done  in  Judea,  watched  over  the  Jews  in  a  strange  land, 
and  nnder  the  power  of  the  heathen.  The  circumstance  at 
which  some  have  stumbled,  that  the  name  of  God  is  not 
once  written  in  this  book,  presents  no  difficulty  whatever, 
when  we  consider  the  time  of  its  composition,  or  the 
period  at  which  the  events  related  took  place.  God  was 
then  "  as  a  God  that  hid  Himself,"  yet  took  cognisance  and 
care  of  His  people  whom  He  had  not  cast  off.  And  though 
the  name  of  God  is  not  in  the  book,  His  hand  is  in  it 
everywhere.  Such,  too,  is  His  manner  of  operation,  that 
His  will  is  executed  through  a  series  of  human  actions 
and  occurrences  apparently  quite  fortuitous.  The  charm 
of  the  history  is  this,  that  while  everything  proceeds  in  a 
manner  quite  natural,  and  there  is  no  introduction  of 
miracles  or  prodigies,  all  the  incidents  are  so  nicely 
adjusted  to  the  production  of  the  great  result,  that  if  one 
had  been  wanting,  or  been  otherwise  than  it  was,  the 
whole  plan  would  have  been  deranged,  and  the  issue  could 
never  have  been  reached. 

The  time  occupied  by  this  story  falls  in  between  the 


ESTHER.  213 

going  up  of  Zerubbabel  from  Babylon  to  Jerusalem,  and 
that  of  Ezra.  The  Persian  empire,  in  which  Babylon  was 
then  included,  was  at  its  height  of  greatness,  extending 
from  the  Indus  to  the  Mediterranean,  and  from  the 
Caspian  to  Arabia.  The  Ahasuerus,  who  occupied  the 
throne,  was  most  probably  the  Xerxes  of  profane  history. 
His  winter  palace  was  at  Susa  or  Shushan,  and  his  court 
was  luxurious  and  extravagant  to  a  degree  which  we  can 
scarcely  conceive. 

The  story  opens  with  the  account  of  a  sumptuous  festi- 
val, at  which  the  king  entertained  the  satraps  from  the 
provinces.  It  lasted  for  the  enormous  period  of  half  a  year, 
the  princes,  no  doubt,  coming  up  from  the  governments  in 
rotation  to  partake  of  it ;  and  it  concluded  with  a  banquet 
that  continued  for  a  week,  open  to  all  the  people  in  Shushan, 
great  and  small.  There  was  no  compulsion  in  regard  to  wine, 
but  the  Persians  practised  little  restraint  at  feasts,  and  in- 
temperance was  common,  with  the  other  vices  to  which  it 
usually  leads.  Yet  the  very  revels  of  the  heathen  were  made 
to  "  fall  out  to  the  furtherance  "  of  the  purposes  of  God. 

A  separate  banquet  was  given  by  the  queen  to  those  of 
her  own  sex.  All  went  well  till  the  last  day  of  the  feast, 
when  it  was  disturbed  by  an  unexpected  and  unprece- 
dented summons  from  the  king.  He  would  expose  the 
queen  Vashti  to  the  gaze  of  all  his  crowd  of  revellers.  It 
was  an  outrage  on  all  the  customs  and  proprieties  of  the 
age,  and  could  not  have  proceeded  from  the  king,  if  he 
had  not  been  flushed  with  wine. 

So,  in  every  rank  of  life,  every  country,  and  every  time, 
when  man  becomes  intemperate,  woman  is  sure  to  suffer. 
She  is  treated  coarsely,  her  feelings  outraged,  her  delicacy 
wounded,  her  rights  denied — sometimes  her  health,  her 


2U  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

very  life  endangered.  No  doubt,  women  also  fall  into  this 
vice ;  and  when  they  do,  no  language  can  describe  the  de- 
gradation. But  there  is  an  awful  page  of  human  history, 
though  scarcely  written  at  all  on  earth,  minutely  recorded 
on  high,  and  certain  to  come  into  judgment.  It  is  covered 
all  over  with  the  sufferings  of  innocent  women  and  cliil- 
dren  through  the  passionate,  shameless,  intemperance  of 
men. 

Had  Vashti  been  of  soft  and  timid  nature,  she  would 
have  obeyed  the  command  at  any  cost  to  her  own  dignity, 
and  then  the  whole  order  of  events  towards  the  Jews 
would  have  been  otherwise  than  it  proved  to  be.  But  the 
queen  had  a  firm  and  lofty  spirit  that  would  not  brook 
this  insult,  or  forget  what  was  due  to  her  sex  and  position, 
even  at  a  despot's  injunction.  So  she  did  what  must  have 
made  all  the  court  minions  stand  amazed — "The  queen 
Vashti  refused  to  come." 

The  king  was  very  wroth,  all  the  more  because  he  must 
have  felt  that  he  was  wrong.  He  took  counsel  with  his 
princes,  and  they,  falling  in  with  his  humour,  and  nursing 
his  wrath,  suggested  that  the  queen  should  be  divorced  for 
her  disobedience.  A  certain  prince,  Memucan,  gave  plau- 
sibility to  the  advice,  by  representing  that  the  example  of 
the  great  is  contagious,  and  that  if  the  offence  were  not 
openly  and  promptly  punished,  all  Persia  would  soon  be 
full  of  household  insubordination.  "And  the  saying 
pleased  the  king." 

Every  Ahasuerus  has  his  Memucan.  Men  of  rank, 
wealth,  and  good  worldly  position  may  be  sure  of  flatterers. 
They  hear  less  downright  truth  than  more  obscure  people 
do,  and  get  much  less  sincere  and  honest  advice.     Their 


ESTHER  215 

caprices  are  commended,  and  their  self-will  petted  to  their 
serious  injury.  Indeed,  whatever  our  rank  or  degree  in 
the  world  or  in  the  Church,  we  have  perhaps  no  enemy 
that  can  do  us  so  much  harm  as  our  fluent  friend  Memu- 
can,  whose  flattering  lips  God  will  yet  cut  off.* 

The  great  banquet  ended  in  vexation  and  wrong.  True 
to  its  character,  the  wine-cup  at  the  last  bit  like  a  serpent, 
and  stung  like  an  adder.  Ahasuerus,  when  the  flush  of 
wine  had  given  place  to  exhaustion,  and  the  fit  of  wrath 
was  over,  found  himself  in  a  dilemma.  His  word  had 
been  hastily  spoken,  but  it  was  made  a  decree,  and  could 
not  be  changed.  Something  like  this  occurs  in  other 
countries  than  Persia.  In  rashness  or  passion,  one  may 
easily  speak  a  word,  or  do  an  injustice,  that  can  never  be 
recalled  or  undone.  Repentance  may  come,  but  it  is  quite 
possible  for  it  to  come  too  late. 

Again  the  courtiers  gave  advice  which  the  king  ac- 
cepted. Their  object  was  to  divert  his  mind  from  brood- 
ing over  the  injury  done  to  Vashti  by  their  wicked  coun- 
sel. The  plan  they  suggested  for  obtaining  a  new  queen 
is  repulsive  to  our  views  of  propriety,  but  it  shocked  no 
feelings  in  the  realm  of  Persia ;  and  through  even  this 
unseemly  device  a  door  was  opened  for  the  elevation  of  a 
Jewess,  and  the  deliverance  of  the  Jews.  Maidens  of 
choice  beauty  were  taken  to  the  seraglio, — among  them 
Esther  or  Hadassah,  an  orphan,  brought  up  by  her  uncle, 
Mordecai.  They  belonged  to  that  little  tribe  of  Benjamin 
which  has  given  to  the  history  of  Israel  so  many  famous 
names.  Esther  adorned  not  herself  to  catch  the  monarch's 
fancy,  but  she  surpassed  all  rivals,  and  at  once  became 

See  Psalm  xii.  3. 


216  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

queen.*  The  king's  preference  was  enough,  and  no  ques- 
tion was  asked  concerning  the  origin  of  the  beautiful 
maiden  in  whom  he  delighted.  Mordecai  then  received 
an  appointment,  for  he  sat  at  the  king's  gate,  as  Daniel 
used  to  sit  at  the  gate  of  King  Nebuchadnezzar.  And 
Esther  in  her  high  station  obeyed  her  kind  uncle,  just  as 
she  had  done  when  she  was  brought  up  with  him. 

Soon  after  this,  an  incident  occurred  which  had  a  very 
important  influence  on  the  future  course  of  this  history. 
One  of  those  plots,  which  have  always  threatened  the 
lives  of  despots,  was  formed  against  Ahasuerus  by  two  of 
his  chamberlains — probably  disgraced  officers,  or  offended 
favourites.  Mordecai,  detecting  the  plot,  revealed  it  to 
Esther,  who  at  once  informed  the  king.  The  conspirators 
were  punished,  but  Mordecai  got  no  reward.  So  much 
the  better,  as  the  issue  of  the  story  shows. 

The  great  interest  of  the  book  now  opens  upon  us.  A 
storm  began  to  gather  over  the  unconscious  heads  of  the 
Jews  in  Persia,  for  a  favourite,  who  bitterly  hated  them, 
suddenly  rose  in  the  king's  confidence.  It  was  Ham  an, 
an  Agagite,  or  Amalekite,  and  a  thorough  specimen  of  that 
wicked  race.  Duke  Amalek,  their  ancestor,. was  a  grand- 
son of  Esau;  and  all  his  descendants  were  bitterly  jealous 
of  the  posterity  of  Jacob.  It  will  be  remembered  that 
they  were  the  first  to  attack  the  tribes  in  the  wilderness. 
Erom  that  time,  they  were  a  people  doomed  to  ruin ;  but 
they  continued  to  struggle  against  Israel  in  the  days  of 

*  It  is  painful  to  think  of  the  unsuccessful  candidates  shut  up  in  the 
seraglio  ;  but,  at  all  events,  they  were  provided  for,  and  not  cast  out.  The 
greater  shame  lies  on  the  profligacy  of  western  communities,  where  the  man 
of  pleasure  deceives  and  degrades,  then  heartlessly  casts  off  his  victim  to 
sink  into  vice  or  to  die. 


ESTHER.  217 

Gideon  and  of  Saul.  When  David  filled  the  throne,  he 
made  havoc  of  the  Amalekites,  only  a  small  fragment  of 
the  nation  lingering  in  the  wilds  of  Mount  Seir; — and 
even  these  were  smitten  by  an  expedition  of  500  men 
from  the  tribe  of  Simeon,  in  the  days  of  Hezekiah. 

Mordecai,  the  Jew,  seeing  the  Amalekite  courtier,  re- 
fused the  prostration  which  the  other  officers  of  the  palace 
made  before  him.  Hainan  noticed  the  slight,  and  was  in- 
censed. Our  sympathies  go  with  Mordecai.  He  may 
have  been  too  scrupulous  about  a  salutation,  but  one  must 
admire  the  sturdy  spirit  that  would  not,  at  whatever  risk, 
pretend  to  reverence  one  of  the  hereditary  enemies  of  the 
Hebrew  race.  At  any  rate,  this  Benjamite  was  no  puppet 
to  cringe  before  the  favourite  of  a  day. 

The  scorn  of  the  Jew  excited  not  anger  only,  but  cruel 
hatred  in  the  Agagite.  All  his  pomp  was  nothing  to 
Hainan,  while  Mordecai  dared  to  refuse  him  homage.  He 
resolved  on  a  fearful  revenge.  He  would  sweep  away, 
with  a  sudden  destruction,  all  the  hated  descendants  of 
Jacob  throughout  the  empire.  While  avenging  himself  on 
the  Jew  at  the  king's  gate,  he  would  take  the  opportunity 
to  wreak  upon  the  heads  of  the  Jewish  people  a  bloody 
retribution  on  behalf  of  Amalek.  But,  as  it  often  is  with 
proud  and  angry  men,  Hainan,  trying  too  much,  over- 
reached himself,  and  failed. 

He  went  about  his  plot  deliberately  enough.  First,  he 
sought  a  lucky  day — like  those  brigands  on  the  Continent, 
who  pray  and  vow  to  the  blessed  Virgin  before  they  de- 
scend from  the  mountains  to  rob  and  murder.  After  some 
delay,  a  day  was  fixed  on,  and  it  proved  as  lucky  as 
Hainan  could  desire ;  for,  when  he  asked  the  king's  signa- 


218  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

ture  to  the  murderous  decree  which  lie  had  prepared 
against  the  Jews,  the  careless  monarch  gave  him  his  signet 
ring,  and  bade  him  do  as  he  pleased.  So  the  decree  was 
issued. 

The  city  of  Susa  was  perplexed.  Accustomed  though 
they  were  to  the  caprices  of  their  rulers,  the  Persians  were 
astounded  at  this  relentless  severity  against  the  inoffensive 
Jews  who  lived  and  traded  among  them.  But  "the  king 
and  Hainan  sat  down  to  drink."  Drink  again !  It  was 
this  which  led  to  the  unjust  treatment  of  Vashti.  Xow  it 
hardened  the  king's  heart  against  the  Jews;  and  this 
wicked  Haman,  knowing  the  king's  weakness,  plied  the 
wine-cup,  and  kept  the  palace  gay  with  luxurious  feasts, 
lest  Ahasuerus  should  come  to  himself,  and  discover  his 
folly. 

So  deliberately  planned  was  the  massacre  of  the  Hugue- 
nots on  St.  Bartholomew's  day,  A.D.  1572.  It  was  long 
pondered  by  the  cruel  Catherine.  It  was  she,  who  per- 
suaded Charles  IX.  that  the  time  had  come  to  exterminate 
the  Protestants  in  his  kingdom.  By  feasts  and  gaieties 
suspicion  was  disarmed.  Then  the  tocsin  was  sounded, 
and  70,000  were  butchered  in  Paris  alone,  while  other 
places  followed  the  metropolitan  example.  Eome  rejoiced 
with  hideous  exultation,  and  struck  a  medal  in  honour  of 
the  bloody  deed.  But  Europe,  like  Shushan,  was  per- 
plexed and  horrified. 

The  Jews  fasted  and  wept ;  for,  unlike  the  Huguenots, 
they  had  warning  of  their  doom.  "Mordecai  rent  his 
clothes,  and  put  on  sackcloth  with  ashes,  and  went  out 
into  the  midst  of  the  city,  and  cried  with  a  loud  and  a 
bitter  cry."     The  queen  heard  of  his  mourning,  and  was 


ESTHER.  219 

grieved,  but  she  knew  not  the  cause.  Shut  up  as  women 
of  rank  are  in  the  East,  they  are  generally  quite  ignorant 
of  public  affairs.  Esther  sent  a  change  of  raiment  to  her 
dear  kinsman,  to  assure  him  of  her  sympathy,  and  to 
dispel  his  spirit  of  heaviness  by  a  garment  of  praise. 
Her  chamberlain  returned  with  a  full  explanation  of  the 
cause  of  this  sorrow,  a  copy  of  the  royal  proclamation,  and 
a  message  from  Mordecai.  It  was  to  the  effect,  that 
Esther  must  for  her  people's  sake  avow  her  Jewish  extrac- 
tion before  the  king,  and  obtain  their  deliverance  by  in- 
tercession. 

Here,  however,  arose  a  serious  difficulty.  "No  one,  on 
penalty  of  death,  might  enter,  uncalled,  the  presence  of  a 
Persian  king.  His  person  was  concealed,  as  if  too  sacred 
for  men  to  look  upon.  Indeed,  to  this  day,  it  is  extremely 
difficult  in  Persia,  China,  and  Japan,  to  obtain  an  inter- 
view with  the  monarch,  all  the  avenues  to  his  presence 
being  guarded  with  utmost  jealousy. 

Add  to  this,  that  Esther  seemed,  just  at  this  time,  to 
have  lost  her  hold  on  her  husband.  She  had  not  seen 
him  for  a  month,  while  he  had  abandoned  himself  to 
excess  of  wine  with  Hainan.  What  if  her  influence  was 
gone — stolen  away  by  a  rival,  or  undermined  by  an 
enemy ! 

Moved,  however,  by  Mordecai's  vigorous  exhortation, 
the  queen  decided  to  make  an  attempt,  though  it  should 
cost  her  her  life.  She  prepared  for  her  venture  by  fasting 
before  God,  and  inducing  all  her  people  to  fast  and  pray 
likewise,  for  three  days.  If  she  had  judged  according  to 
the  flesh,  she  would  rather  have  studied  how  to  fascinate 
the  king.     But  she  judged  after  the  Spirit,  and  put  her 


220  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

confidence,  not  in  attractions  of  her  own,  but  in  the  God 
of  Israel. 

On  the  third  day,  Esther  put  on  her  royal  apparel,  both 
to  show  due  respect  to  the  king,  and  because  those  robes 
and  ornaments  were  his  gifts,  and  recalled  the  affection  he 
had  shown  to  her  before  Hainan  gained  a  baneful  influence 
over  his  mind.  Then  she  left  the  women's  apartments, 
and  made  her  way  to  the  king's  presence.  All  who  saw 
her  must  have  been  amazed ;  for,  if  Vashti  was  degraded 
for  disobeying  a  foolish  word  from  the  king,  what  danger 
did  not  Esther  incur  by  contravening  the  settled  customs, 
laws,  and  ordinances  of  the  palace ! 

The  suspense  was  short,  for  Ahasuerus  at  once  showed 
favour  to  his  queen ;  and  surmising,  as  she  drew  near,  that 
she  had  an  important  request  to  make,  encouraged  her  to 
make  it.  She  would  not  tell  it  in  open  court,  but  invited 
the  king  and  Hainan  to  a  banquet  in  her  own  apartments. 
It  was  shrewdly  done.  Esther  would  re-establish  her  in- 
fluence over  her  husband;  and  she  would  throw  the 
favourite  off  his  guard,  taking  care,  too,  to  have  him  pre- 
sent when  she  should  unveil  his  malice,  that  he  might  not 
defeat  or  escape  her.  So  they  came  to  her  banquet ;  but 
she  deferred  her  request  till  the  following  day,  either  from 
a  natural  reluctance  to  avow  herself  a  Jewess,  or  from  a 
quick  feminine  perception  that  the  best  time  had  not  yet 
arrived  for  her  carrying  her  point. 

Haman  went  home  prouder  than  ever,  for  he  had  got  a 
new  step  of  preferment ;  he  was  in  high  favour  with  the 
queen.  But  it  was  as  if  a  dagger  pricked  his  heart,  when 
"  Mordecai,  in  the  king's  gate,  stood  not  up,  nor  moved  for 
him."     By  the  advice  of  his  wife,  a  kindred  spirit  and 


ESTHER,  221 

meet  companion  for  him,  and  that  of  his  obsequious 
friends,  the  vain-glorious  man  had  a  high  gallows  erected, 
which  he  destined  for  the  Jew. 

Mordecai  slept  well  that  night,  unconscious  of  danger; 
hut  the  Lord,  who  kept  Israel,  slumbered  not,  and  so 
ordered  it  in  His  Providence,  that  the  rage  of  the  heathen 
was  disappointed  of  its  prey.  "  On  that  night  could  not 
the  king  sleep."  No  doubt  this  had  happened  before,  for 
sleep  is  far  more  secure  and  sweet  to  the  labouring  man 
than  to  the  voluptuary ;  but  it  was  of  God,  that,  on  this 
critical  night,  when  sleep  fled,  the  king  was  disposed,  not 
to  vain  amusement,  but  to  reflection  on  the  events  of  his 
reign.  The  chronicles  of  his  kingdom  were  brought  forth, 
and  read  to  him.  The  Assyrians  and  Babylonians  en- 
graved their  records  on  palace  walls,  but  the  Persians  used 
writing  materials;  and  while  the  former  are  being  dis- 
interred and  deciphered  in  our  own  generation,  the  latter 
have,  unfortunately,  perished. 

In  the  roll  of  records  read  on  that  night  to  Ahasuerus, 
mention  was  made  of  the  plot  against  his  life,  which  Mor- 
decai detected  and  defeated.  On  hearing  it,  conscience 
smote  the  king :  nothing  had  been  done  for  the  preserver 
of  his  life ;  and  the  Jew  had  urged  no  claim,  nor  sought 
reward,  but  sat  patiently  in  his  place  at  the  king's  gate, 
because  he  knew  that  "promotion  cometh  neither  from 
the  east,  nor  from  the  west,  nor  from  the  south ;  but  God 
is  the  Judge:  He  putteth  down  one  and  setteth  up 
another." 

Ahasuerus,  when  roused,  was  full  of  will  and  energy. 
So  soon  as  it  was  day,  he  called,  "Who  is  in  the  court?" 
Lo  !  Haman,  greedy  of  revenge,  had  come  already  to  crave 


222  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

the  death  of  Mordecai.  Before  he  could  prefer  his  request, 
he  was  commanded  by  the  king  to  lead  Mordecai  in  a  pro- 
cession of  honour  through  the  city.  What  an  effort 
Hainan  must  have  made  to  command  himself,  and  to  con- 
ceal the  secret  writhing  he  endured  in  doino-  such  a  ser- 
vice!  Think  how  he  must  have  felt,  as  the  procession 
passed  the  gallows  fifty  cubits  high. 

Mordecai  showed  a  sober  mind.  Not  elated  by  the 
sudden  mark  of  royal  favour  he  had  received,  he  returned 
quietly  to  his  post  at  the  gate.  But  he  was  confirmed,  we 
may  be  sure,  in  faith  that  God  would  deliver  His  people, 
and  he  was  encouraged  to  augur  well  for  Esther's  interven- 
tion. 

Haman  had  gloomy  forebodings;  and  these  were  in- 
creased by  the  ominous  words  of  his  wife,  and  the  predic- 
tion of  the  astrologers  in  his  household,  who  now  perceived 
him  to  be  a  falling  star.  As  King  Saul  after  his  warning 
at  Endor,  so  did  Haman  go  on,  with  a  clouded  heart,  to 
his  deserved  doom. 

Esther's  opportunity  was  fully  come.  The  king  had 
been  roused  from  his  inglorious  servility  to  Haman,  had 
acted  for  himself,  and  in  favour  of  a  Jew.  Moreover  he 
was  quite  curious  by  this  time,  and  anxious  to  know  what 
lay  so  heavily  on  the  mind  of  his  queen.  Then  she  dis- 
closed it — told  the  danger  to  her  life — avowed  her  nation- 
ality, and  quoted  the  very  words  of  the  cruel  decree.  To 
obviate  any  jealousy  of  her  interference  in  the  affairs  of 
government,  she  judiciously  added  that  she  would  have 
held  her  peace  had  not  the  matter  been  one  of  life  and 
death,  though  even  the  reduction  of  such  a  people  as  the 
Jews  to  bondage,  and  of  all  their  prosperous  enterprise  to 


ESTHER.  223 

slave  labour,  would  have  been  greatly  to  the  injury  of  the 
empire,  and  to  "  the  king's  damage."  How  much  greater 
would  be  the  loss  incurred  by  their  destruction  !  So  she 
appealed  alike  to  the  king's  affection,  to  his  pity,  and  to 
his  jealousy  for  the  aggrandisement  and  enrichment  of  his 
empire.  From  the  question  of  Ahasuerus — "Who  is  he, 
and  where  is  he  that  durst  presume  in  his  heart  to  do  so?" 
we  infer  that  he  must  have  been  under  the  influence  of 
wine,  or  otherwise  not  himself,  when  he  gave  Haman 
authority  to  sign  and  issue  the  decree  against  the  Jews,  for 
he  had  no  recollection  of  the  circumstance.  His  question 
gave  the  queen  the  opportunity  to  unmask  the  plotter. 
We  can  see  her  rise,  with  flashing  eye,  to  say — "The 
adversary  and  enemy  is  this  wicked  Haman  !" 

On  the  gallows,  fifty  cubits  high,  was  hung  the  wretched 
Agagite.  The  heathen  man  sunk  in  the  pit  that  he  had 
made ;  in  the  net  which  he  hid  was  his  own  foot  taken* 

The  Jews,  however,  were  not  yet  out  of  danger.  When 
Esther  again  petitioned  the  king  with  tears,  to  annul  the 
decree  against  her  people,  he  told  her  that  it  could  not  be 
done  because  of  the  foolish  rule  to  that  effect  among  the 
Persians ;  but  he  made  a  second  decree,  so  far  contradicting 
the  first,  as  to  authorise  resistance  on  the  part  of  the  Jews 
to  all  who  should  rise  up  against  them.  It  was  a  clumsy 
device,  and  one  that  cost  much  bloodshed  for  nought ;  but 
the  result  to  the  Jews  was,  that  they  had  "  rest  for  many 
years." 

We  do  not  extenuate  the  vengeful  spirit  shown  by  that 
people,  not  excepting  Esther  herself,  in  asking  for  a  second 
clay  in  which  to  make  an  end  of  their  enemies,  and  that 

*  Psalm  ix.  15. 


224  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

Hainan's  sons  should  share  their  father's  fate.  The  Jews 
always  were  a  hot-blooded  Eastern  race,  to  whom  revenge 
was  sweet.  It  wTas  not  at  all  congenial  to  them,  to  love 
their  enemies,  or  pray  for  such  as  despitefully  used  and 
persecuted  them.  The  Jew  from  whose  lips  such  counsels 
fell,  and  in  whose  character  and  life  they  were  perfectly 
illustrated,  was  no  other  than  the  Son  of  God. 

In  memory  of  their  great  escape,  the  Jews  established 
a  new  annual  feast — Purim — a  festival  of  joy  and  mutual 
gifts,  which  continues  to  this  day. 

The  great  lesson  of  this  book,  as  remarked  at  the  outset, 
is  the  minuteness  and  watchfulness  of  divine  providence  : 
but  there  are  also  many  points  suggestive  of  the  ways  of 
grace. 

We  have  in  Christ  a  Kino-  of  kin^s,  whose  "love  is 
better  than  wine."  He  spreads  a  feast  for  all  peoples,  and 
sets  the  poor  with  princes.  He  is  faithful  without  vari- 
ableness, forbearing  and  patient  without  caprice.  Far 
from  excluding  mourners,  He  is  full  of  sympathy  with  such, 
and  counts  a  broken  spirit  a  pleasing  sacrifice.  Moreover, 
He  never  forgets,  or  leaves  unrewarded,  any  one  who  has 
clone  service  to  Him,  even  to  the  extent  of  fetching  a  cup 
of  cold  water  to  one  of  the  least  of  His  brethren. 

Esther  first  came  to  the  king  unadorned,  but  afterwards 
in  beautiful  garments.  So  the  sinner  first  comes  to  Christ 
with  no  meetness  for  His  presence,  and  is  saved,  and 
united  to  Christ,  without  merit,  in  mere  sovereign  grace. 
Afterwards,  he  comes  with  petitions  and  requests,  in  the 
new  relation  to  Christ  which  grace  has  given  him,  as  one 
who  has  obtained  acceptance,  and  may  without  presump- 


ESTHER.  225 

tion  wear  the  robe  of  needlework  given  by  the  Saviour  in 
the  time  of  the  love  of  espousals.  Our  most  gracious 
rrince  of  Life  beholds  with  delight  His  suppliant  people, 
extends  His  sceptre,  and  grants  their  request. 

The  conflict,  too,  at  the  end  of  the  book  is  significant. 
Enmity  against  the  Church  is  allowed  to  grow,  and  show 
itself.  We  often  fancy,  that  God  might  check  or  suppress 
it ;  but  He  sees  it  better  to  let  it  develop  till  the  appointed 
day,  when  the  Lamb  and  His  armies  shall  overcome,  and 
He  who  is  faithful  and  true  shall  judge  in  righteousness,  and 
make  war.  Enemies  rise  up  against  our  souls.  We  think 
that  the  Lord  might  surely  prevent  this,  and  indulge  us 
with  a  more  quiet  and  tranquil  experience.  But  God 
knows  better  how  to  train  us.  He  lets  our  enemies  rise 
up  against  us,  and  then  He  gives  us  a  "  whole  armour  "  and 
a  sharp  sword ;  He  teaches  our  "  hands  to  war,  and  our 
fingers  to  fight."  The  end  will  more  than  repay  all  the 
suffering  and  strife — "  He  that  overcometh,  the  same  shall 
be  clothed  in  white  raiment " 


JOB. 

After  the  historical  "books,  we  have  a  poem  of  unique 
power  and  beauty — as  great  a  glory  to  Hebrew  literature 
as  Homer's  Iliad  to  the  Greek,  or  Dante's  Divina  Comae- 
dia  to  the  Italian. 

The  writer  is  unknown.  Many  have  conjectured  that 
Moses  wrote  this  book  during  his  sojourn  of  forty  years  in 
Midian ;  but  we  lean  rather  to  the  opinion  of  those  who 
ascribe  it  to  one  of  the  poets  of  that  Augustan  age  in 
Israel — the  times  of  David  and  Solomon.  It  has  passages 
in  relation  to  wisdom,  which  seem  to  place  it  in  the  same 
intellectual  era  that  produced  some  of  the  Psalms,  and  the 
earlier  chapters  of  the  Book  of  Proverbs.  In  the  Hebrew 
Canon,  this  poem  stands  between  Proverbs  and  the  Song 
of  Songs,  in  the  last  division  of  the  Old  Testament,  the 
Hagiographa.  One  of  the  most  judicious  modern  writers 
on  the  Book  of  Job  concludes  as  the  result  of  his  study, 
(1.)  That  "  it  is  the  production  of  a  native  of  Palestine ; " 
and,  (2.)  That  its  composition  may  be  dated  most  probably 
"  at  a  period  not  long  after  the  death  of  David."  *  Dean 
Stanley  confidently  derives  it  from  the  age  of  Solomon. 
"  The  definition  of  wisdom  is  given  with  a  particularity 

*  Dr.  A.  B.  Davidson,  in  the  Imperial  Bible  Dictionary.     Art.  Job. 


JOB.  227 

worthy  of  the  Proverbs.  The  likeness  to  the  Proverbs  of 
Agur  is  almost  verbal.  The  allusions  to  the  horse,  the 
peacock,  the  crocodile,  and  the  hippopotamus  are  such  as 
in  Palestine  could  hardly  have  been  made  till  after  the 
formation  of  Solomon's  collections.  The  questions  dis- 
cussed are  the  same  as  those  which  agitate  the  mind  of 
Solomon,  but  descending  deeper  and  deeper  into  the  diffi- 
culties of  the  world.  It  is  the  Prometheus,  the  Faust,  as 
it  has  been  well  called,  of  the  most  complete  age  of  Jewish 
civilisation."  * 

The  date  of  the  authorship  of  course  determines  nothing 
as  to  the  age  of  Job  himself.  He  may  have  lived  quite  as 
long  before  the  poet  who  wrote  of  him,  as  iEneas  did  before 
the  poet  Virgil.  His  longevity  seems  to  place  him  in 
patriarchal  times,  for  he  lived  140  years  after  his  trials 
were  over,  and  could  not  have  been  less  than  about  200 
years  old  at  his  death.  He  was  not  an  Israelite :  no  allu- 
sion is  made  in  the  book  to  Israelitish  history ;  nor  is  any 
help  derived  to  the  solution  of  the  problem  discussed  from 
the  revelation  that  came  to  the  Twelve  Tribes  through 
Moses. 

The  book  is  intensely  religious,  but  it  is  not  a  statement  of 
salvation — it  is  an  investigation  of  the  ways  of  Providence, 
and  of  the  connection  in  this  world  between  sin  and  suffer- 
ing, virtue  and  prosperity.  In  this  it  possesses  a  great 
element  of  power,  that  it  handles  a  problem  which  has  for 
all  times  a  profound  human  interest.  What  basis  of  fact 
the  poem  has  cannot  well  be  ascertained.  The  mention  of 
Job  by  Ezekiel  and  James  seems  to  favour  the  idea  of  his 
having  actually  existed  and  suffered.     Of  course,  no  one 

*  Stanley's  History  of  the  Jewish  Church,  2d  Ed.     Tart  ii.,  Lect.  28. 


22S  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

fancies  that  men  spoke  or  improvised  the  poetical  speeches 
just  as  they  are  written.  What  we  have  is  the  discussion 
of  a  great  moral  problem,  managed  by  a  poetical  drama, 
with  "dramatis  personam,"  but  without  stage  action  or 
thickening  plot, — the  interest  being  ethical  and  psycholo- 
gical, and  everything  being  made  to  turn  on  Job's  tempta- 
tion and  discipline.  Whether  the  drama  has  much,  or 
little,  or  no  foundation  of  fact,  does  not  affect  its  use  of 
edifying.  The  parables  of  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus,  the 
good  Samaritan,  and  the  prodigal  son,  are  quite  as  instruc- 
tive to  the  Church  as  they  could  have  been  if  they  had 
been  strict  narratives  of  fact. 

It  is  very  important  to  carry  with  us  a  clear  idea  of 
the  structure  of  this  book.  Take,  then,  the  following 
plan : — 

I.  Introductory  Narrative,  in  prose.    Chaps,  i.,  ii. 
II.  The  Poem.     Chaps.  iii.-xlii.  6. 

1.  Job's  Complaint.     Chap.  iii. 

2.  The  Debate,  in  three  cycles. 

(1.)  First  cycle.  Chaps,  iv.-xiv. 
(2.)  Second  do.  Chaps,  xv.-xxi. 
(3.)  Third    do.      Chaps.  xxii.-xxvi. 

3.  Job's  Second  Complaint.    Chaps.  xxvii.-xxxi. 

4.  Elihu's  Speech,  introduced  by  a  short  prose  ac- 

count of  him.     Chaps,  xxxii.-xxxvii. 

5.  The  Lord's  Voice,  and  Job's  Submission.    Chaps. 

xxxviii.-xlii.  6. 
III.  Concluding  Narrative,  in  prose.     Chap.  xlii.  7-17. 

I.  The  introduction  or  proem,  which  is  in  prose,  lays 


JOB.  229 

the  foundation  of  the  whole  poem,  and  exhibits  its  pro- 
blem. 

Job  was  a  prosperous  chieftain  in  the  Land  of  Uz,  be- 
tween Syria  and  Arabia.  He  was  rich  in  the  wealth  of 
the  time  and  country — oxen,  sheep,  and  camels,  with  the 
servants  required  to  tend  them.  His  family  was  large, 
and  his  household  very  great.  Best  of  all,  he  was  a  man 
of  the  highest  character, — "perfect  and  upright,  and  one 
that  feared  God  and  eschewed  evil." 

On  a  sudden,  all  Job's  prosperity  forsook  him.  It  is 
ascribed  to  the  malice  of  Satan ;  and  the  Adversary  is  re- 
presented as  appearing  in  an  assembly  of  the  sons  of  God, 
detracting  from  the  character  of  Job,  and  obtaining  per- 
mission to  prove  him  by  misfortune.  The  place  of  the 
assembly  is  not  indicated  at  all :  and  there  is  no  reason  to 
suppose  that  it  was  in  heaven,  or  that  Satan  ever  was 
there,  either  before  his  fall  or  after.  He  is  confined  within 
the  atmosphere  of  our  earth,  and  goes  to  and  fro,  and  up 
and  down,  on  its  surface.  It  pleased  God  to  let  Satan 
work  his  cruel  will ;  and  so  it  fell  out  that  bands  of  rob- 
bers carried  off  the  property  of  Job  and  slew  his  servants, 
and  his  sons  and  daughters  perished  in  an  earthquake.  It 
was  enough  to  make  his  brain  reel  and  stagger,  but  the 
good  man  held  fast  his  integrity.  Though  he  knew  not 
the  cause  of  this  sudden  and  terrible  change  in  Providence, 
he  bore  himself  with  a  most  touching  resignation.  "  He 
fell  down  upon  the  ground  and  worshipped  and  said, 
Naked  came  I  out  of  my  mother's  womb,  and  naked  shall 
I  return  thither :  the  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken 
away :  blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord.  In  all  this  Job 
sinned  not,  nor  charged  God  foolishly."     We  think  it  a 


230  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

great  matter  to  repeat  these  words  of  submission  when  we 
are  deprived  of  one  child  or  one  friend ;  but  Job  said  them 
when  he  lost  all  his  children,  and  was  stript  of  all  that  he 
had. 

The  first  assault  of  temptation  had  failed ;  and  the  Ad- 
versary let  Job  alone  for  a  season — a  poor  man  now  and 
childless,  but  still  a  fearer  of  God.  Then  came  a  second 
trial,  introduced  in  the  same  way  as  the  first,  by  a  divine 
permission  given  to  Satan  under  strict  limitation.  It  is  a 
graphic  expression  for  the  working  of  evil  forces  in  human 
history,  under  the  control  of,  and  in  subordination  to, 
higher  and  the  highest  good. 

Job  was  smitten  with  the  disease  which  we  call  ele- 
phantiasis, and  suffered  from  "  sore  boils  from  the  sole  of 
his  foot  unto  his  crown."  His  wife  was  distracted  at  the 
sight  of  his  misery,  and  said,  unwittingly  helping  Satan — 
"  Dost  thou  still  retain  thine  integrity  ?  Curse  God  and 
die."  So  Eve,  beguiled  by  the  Serpent,  induced  her  hus- 
band to  eat  and  die.  But  Job  was  not  as  Adam,  and  did 
not  hearken  to  the  voice  of  his  wife.  He  expressed  his 
surprise  and  sorrow  that  she,  hitherto  so  wise  and  kind, 
should  speak  "as  a  foolish  woman."  "What!  shall  we 
receive  good  at  the  hand  of  God,  and  shall  we  not  receive 
evil  ?  in  all  this  did  not  Job  sin  with  his  lips." 

So  failed  the  second  temptation.  Though  Job  was 
crushed  and  stunned,  he  bowed  himself  meekly  before 
God,  and  sinned  not  with  his  lips.  Then  a  third  trial 
opened  upon  him ; — and  it  is  this  which  occupies  the 
main  body  of  the  book.  Three  friends  of  Job,  hearing  of 
his  calamities,  came  to  condole  with  him ;  but  their  words 
were  more  exasperating  to  that  man  of  sorrows  than  all 


JOB.  231 

the  losses  and  sufferings  he  had  endured.  They  wore 
descendants  of  Abraham,  in  the  lines  of  Ishmael  and  Esau. 
They  acknowledged  the  God  of  Abraham,  and  discoursed 
largely  of  His  providence,  but  in  a  temper  of  mind  too 
rigid  for  the  case  before  them,  and  extremely  unjust  to 
their  friend. 

II.  The  Poem. 

1.  Job  begins  with  a  most  pitiful  strain. 

"Perish  the  day  wherein  I  was  born,  and  the  night 
which  said,  A  man-child  is  conceived."  He  would  not 
curse  God, but  he  "opened  his  mouth  and  cursed  his  day." 
So  did  the  prophet  Jeremiah  pour  out  his  anguish — 
"  Cursed  be  the  day  wherein  I  was  born ;  let  not  the  day 
wherein  my  mother  bare  me  be  blessed."*  The  friends 
were  not  wise  enough  to  let  this  burst  of  grief  pass  over 
and  expend  itself,  but  began  to  remonstrate  with  Job,  each 
in  his  owd  characteristic  style,  Eliphaz  with  the  bearing 
and  sweeping  eloquence  of  a  seer,  P>ildad  with  vigour 
enough,  but  with  more  limitation  of  thought,  Zophar  with 
heat  and  vehemence.     Then  ensued, 

2.  The  grand  debate,  in  three  cycles.  The  friends  pro- 
ceeded on  the  assumption  that  calamities  befell  men  only 
on  account  of  definite  acts  of  sin.  In  the  simple  condi- 
tions of  patriarchal  life,  it  was  usual  to  see  the  righteous 
prosper,  and  the  wicked  suffer.  To  Eliphaz,  Bildad,  and 
Zophar,  this  seemed  a  principle  of  universal  and  absolute 
application ;  and  they  therefore  held  Job  guilty  of  some 
great  misdeed  or  of  utter  hypocrisy,  and  laboured  to  extort 
from  him  a  confession. 

*  Jer.  xx.  14-18. 


232  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

(1.)  In  the  first  cycle  of  debate,  each  of  the  three  friends 
addresses  the  unhappy  chief,  and  he  replies  to  each  in 
succession,  concluding  with  an  appeal  from  their  judgment 
to  God.  They  assert  that  the  righteous  God  blesses  the 
just,  and  punishes  the  unjust.  Job  replies  that  it  is  not 
uniformly  so  seen;  that  he  himself,  for  example,  while 
just,  is  made  to  suffer ;  and  that,  in  point  of  fact,  the  just 
often  endure  wrong,  and  the  wicked  are  allowed  to  tri- 
umph. The  philosophy  of  those  Arabian  sages  was  too 
narrow  for  the  case;  and  Job,  in  his  last  address,  told 
them  plainly  that  they  were  "  physicians  of  no  value,"  and 
that  he  appealed  from  them  to  that  very  God  on  whose 
providence  they  dilated  with  such  confidence.  At  the 
same  time,  he  was  sore  perplexed,  for  he,  like  his  friends, 
had  been  wont  to  connect  all  suffering  with  punishment 
for  sin,  and  knowing  himself  free,  at  all  events,  from  pre- 
sumptuous sin,  he  passed  through  a  dreadful  intellectual 
strife  and  moral  agony.  "  Job's  disputing  with  God  is  as 
terrible  as  it  is  pitiable.  It  is  terrible,  because  he  uplifts 
himself,  Titan-like,  against  God ;  and  pitiable,  because  the 
God  against  whom  he  fights  is  not  the  God  he  has  known, 
but  a  phantom  which  his  temptation  has  presented  to  his 
dim  vision — a  phantom  in  no  way  differing  from  the  inex- 
orable ruling  Fate  of  the  Greek  tragedy."  * 

(2.)  In  the  second  round  of  debate  the  friends  increase 
the  severity  of  their  tone,  and  urging  as  a  truth  positive 
and  indisputable,  that  it  is  the  wicked  who  are  scourged 
and  afflicted,  assail  the  integrity  of  Job.  Eliphaz  con- 
demns his  words  as  vain  and  irreligious.  Bildad  thinks 
to  appal  him  by  describing  the  destruction  of  evil-doers. 

*  Delitzsch  on  the  Book  of  Job  :  Clark's  Ed.,  vol  i.,  p.  242. 


JOB.  233 

And  Zophar  breaks  out  into  uncharitable  accusation  and 
invective.  Not  one  of  them  has  a  conception  of  the  mys- 
tery of  suffering,  about  which  they  talk  so  volubly.  Job 
answers  them  with  scorn.  Their  arguments  are  feeble, 
their  apprehensions  shallow.  In  their  second  round  of 
speech  they  had  improved  nothing  on  the  first — had  pro- 
duced no  new  thoughts,  or  deeper  soundings  of  reflection, 
but  only  more  rigour  and  harshness,  and  incapacity  to 
comfort.  Job  denies  that  the  wTicked  are  always  punished 
in  this  life ;  they  grow  old  and  prosper.  And  he  refuses 
to  submit  himself  to  the  admonition  of  men  who  have  so 
misjudged  him,  and  shown  themselves  so  unfit  to  minister 
to  a  heavy-laden  spirit.  So  he  again  lifts  his  appeal  to 
God — "  Also  now,  behold,  my  witness  is  in  heaven,  and 
my  record  is  on  high.  My  friends  scorn  me,  but  mine  eye 
poureth  out  tears  unto  God."  His  conscience  is  not  yet 
touched  at  all.  But,  resenting  false  charges,  he  looks  to 
God  for  vindication  of  his  innocence; — and,  as  some  golden 
ray  of  sunshine  may  shoot  across  a  dismal  cave,  so  across 
the  discontent  and  grief  of  Job  shines  this  confidence — "  I 
know  that  my  Eedeemer  liveth."  But  he  thought  not  of 
a  redeemer  in  the  sense  of  a  saviour  from  sin.  It  was  the 
Goel  that  he  looked  for,  the  Vindicator,  who  should  raise 
up  his  name  and  cause  out  of  the  dust. 

(3.)  In  the  third  cycle  of  debate,  the  comforters  are 
turned  into  headlong  accusers.  Eliphaz  expresses  great 
truths  with  wonderful  force  of  language;  but  truths  in- 
adequate, in  their  application  to  the  case  of  Job,  to  explain 
his  suffering.  Words  the  most  sound  and  holy  lose  their 
value,  and  become  impertinent  and  injurious,  when  they 
are  uttered  at  the  wrong  time,  or  in  a  wrong  spirit,  or  with 


234  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

a  wrong  direction.  Job  again  turns  to  God,  and  cries  with 
a  bitter  cry — "  Even  to-day  is  my  complaint  bitter :  my 
stroke  is  heavier  than  my  groaning.  Oh  that  I  knew 
where  I  might  find  Him !  that  I  might  come  even  to  His 
seat !  I  would  order  my  cause  before  Him,  and  fill  my 
mouth  with  arguments."  Having  shown  that  the  wicked 
prosper,  he  proceeds  to  establish  it  as  a  fact  that  the 
righteous  are  often  oppressed,  and  to  argue  that  his  own 
afflictions  are  therefore  not  to  be  construed  into  signs  of 
guilt.  Bildad,  in  a  few  fine  sentences,  deprecates  what 
seemed  to  him  the  proud  self-justification  of  Job.  But 
the  patriarch  answers  him  with  scornful  impatience,  and 
closes  the  debate,  for  Zophar  held  his  peace,  with  a  sub- 
lime acknowledgment  of  the  unsearchableness  of  God. 
"  Lo !  these  are  parts  (the  edges)  of  His  ways :  but  how 
little  a  portion  is  heard  of  Him  ?  but  the  thunder  of  His 
power  who  can  understand  ? 

3.  His  miserable  comforters  being  silenced,  Job  poured 
out  his  second  complaint.  He  "continued  his  parable." 
His  monologue  was  a  parable,  in  the  sense  of  the  out- 
pouring of  a  mind  solemnised  and  elevated  above  other 
minds,  and  above  itself  at  other  times.  In  the  first  part 
of  it,  he  leads  on,  with  great  force  and  beauty  of  language, 
to  the  conclusion  that  "  the  fear  of  the  Lord  is  wisdom, 
and  to  depart  from  evil  is  understanding."  In  the  second 
he  bemoans  himself  greatly,  and  protests  his  innocence 
and  integrity.  The  discussion  with  his  friends  had  done 
him  no  good :  they  were  silenced,  but  he  was  more  than 
ever  perplexed  : — and  now  "  the  words  of  Job  are  ended." 

The  interest  of  all  this,  which  is  the  main  part  of  the 
poem,  is  both  moral  and  psychological     Light  falls  on  the 


JOB.  235 

question  started  by  Satan  at  the  beginning  of  the  story — 
"  Doth  Job  fear  God  for  nought  ? "  It  is  fully  proved  that 
his  piety  was  not  mercenary  or  selfish,  but  deep-seated  in 
his  heart.  At  the  same  time,  we  have  a  most  skilful  de- 
lineation of  the  influence  produced  in  course  of  the  contro- 
versy on  the  mind  of  the  afflicted  patriarch  himself, 
exposed  as  he  was  to  the  danger  of  defying  heaven,  and 
casting  off  all  religious  reverence  and  belief;  but  softened 
at  times  and  subdued,  as  with  the  dropping  of  a  gentle 
dew  from  above  on  his  heart,  and,  with  a  strange  mingling 
of  audacity  and  plaintiveness  of  spirit,  turning  away  from 
his  fellow-men  to  his  God. 

As  the  friends  condemned  Job  without  cause,  he  did 
well  to  resist  them.  But,  as  he  made  so  very  sure  of  his 
own  innocence,  and  saw  doubt  and  difficulty  only  in  the 
rectitude  of  God — thus  "making  himself  more  just  than 
God" — he  was  deeply  in  fault.  Accordingly  the  poem 
proceeds,  till  Job  is  brought  to  a  conviction  of  conscience 
before  God,  and  a  lowly  sense  of  sin. 

4.  Elihu's  speech. 

The  new  speaker  is  introduced  on  the  scene  in  a  few 
verses  of  prose  narrative.  He  was  younger  than  the  pre- 
vious debaters,  and  had  listened  with  the  deference  due  to 
his  seniors.  But  he  was  indignant,  alike  at  the  self- 
righteousness  of  Job,  and  at  the  unfounded  accusations  of 
the  three  friends.  So  he  spoke,  preparing  the  way  of  the 
Lord — and  in  words  to  which  Job  replied  nothing. 

It  may  be  observed  that  Elihu  addressed  the  patriarch 
by  name,  which  none  of  the  three  previous  disputants  had 
done.  Then,  with  great  flow  of  thought  and  speech,  lie 
endeavoured  to  lead  this  man  of  sorrows  into  profitable 


236  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

meditation  on  God — the  various  ways  of  His  communica- 
tion with  men,  and  the  wisdom  and  justice  of  His  rule  over 
men.  He  may  be  said  to  perforin  those  functions  of  re- 
view and  pious  reflection  which  belonged  to  the  Chorus  in 
the  Greek  tragedy. 

At  the  close  of  his  address,  a  storm  was  gathering ;  and 
he  spoke  of  lightning  and  thunder,  the  snow  and  the  rain- 
cloud,  the  whirlwind  and  the  "balancing  of  the  clouds." 
While  he  yet  continued  to  vindicate  the  Divine  goodness 
and  justice,  a  voice  came  out  of  the  whirlwind,  and  it  was 
the  Voice  of  the  Lord. 

5.  The  Lord's  Voice. 

The  case  having  baffled  human  skill,  God  came  to  deal 
with  His  servant.  He  who  spoke  to  Noah,  to  Abraham, 
and  to  Moses,  answered  Job,  in  order  to  convince  him  of 
his  ignorance,  and  so  of  his  presumption  in  calling  his 
Maker  to  account. 

The  discourse  which  is  put  into  the  mouth  of  the  Lord 
— after  a  manner  of  which  we  have  examples  in  uninspired 
poetry — is  in  a  very  lofty  strain,  and  exhibits  the  poet  of 
this  book  at  his  full  power.  It  expatiates  on  the  mighty 
works  of  God,  the  vastness  and  variety  of  creation.  At 
first  sight  it  appears  a  not  very  direct  or  suitable  answer 
to  difficulties  about  providence  ;  but  it  was  really  the  very 
best  teaching  for  Job,  because  it  expanded  his  thought 
beyond  the  limits  of  his  own  trouble,  impressed  him  with 
a  vivid  sense  of  the  Divine  wisdom  and  majesty,  and  thus 
rebuked  his  disposition  to  complain  and  remonstrate,  as  if 
God  were  a  man  like  himself. 

The  discourse  of  the  Lord  is  in  two  parts.     At  the  end 


JOB.  237 

of  the  first,  Job  gives  expression  to  the  sense  of  abasement 
and  insufficiency  produced  in  him  by  the  disclosure  of 
God.  He  protests  that  his  complaint  is  silenced.  He  is 
"small" — unequal  to  the  task  to  which  God  has  sum- 
moned him — unable  to  sustain  the  discussion.  "  Behold, 
I  am  vile  (mean  or  small) ;  what  shall  I  answer  thee  ?  I 
will  lay  mine  hand  upon  my  mouth.  Once  have  I  spoken, 
but  I  will  not  answer ;  yea,  twice,  but  I  will  proceed  no 
farther."  So  far  well,  but  Job's  conscience  is  still  un- 
touched. Therefore  the  Lord  continues  His  speech — 
making  nature  preach  humility  to  man,  and  correcting  the 
measure  of  vain-glory  with  which  Job  had  asserted  his 
innocence,  and  the  temerity  with  which  he  had  almost 
upbraided  his  God.  But  the  Lord  says  nothing  to  crush 
and  exasperate  His  servant,  as  the  three  friends  had  done. 
It  is  better  to  fall  into  the  hand  of  God  than  into  the 
hands  of  men.  In  His  word,  He  is  patient  and  kind,  and 
diverts  the  thought  of  the  sufferer  from  his  own  sad  case  to 
the  contemplation  of  other  objects  of  Divine  care,  and  proofs 
of  Divine  wisdom  and  might.  The  result  is  a  perfect  suc- 
cess. And  the  poem  closes  with  the  words  of  Job's  lowly 
confession  before  God — "I  know  that  Thou  canst  do  every- 
thing, and  that  no  thought  can  be  withholden  from  Thee. 
Who  is  he  that  hideth  counsel  wuthout  knowledge  ?  there- 
fore have  I  uttered  that  I  understood  not;  things  too 
wonderful  for  me,  which  I  knew  not. — I  have  heard  of 
Thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear ;  but  now  mine  eye  seeth 
Thee :  wherefore  I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in  dust  and 
ashes."  Job  had  said  that  in  his  flesh  he  would  see  God 
— expecting  God  to  draw  nigh  in  order  to  vindicate  him 


238  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

against  his  accusers.  But  now  that  lie  did  see  God,  he 
only  arraigned  and  blamed  himself,  and,  ashamed  of  his 
haughty  temper,  repented  in  dust  and  ashes. 

Ill  The  Conclusion  of  the  Book. 

This  is  written  in  prose  to  correspond  with  the  intro- 
duction. 

So  long  as  Job  asserted  himself,  he  got  no  help ;  but 
when  he  humbles  himself,  he  is  exalted.  Against  the 
three  friends  he  is  vindicated  as  a  true  servant  of  God,  and 
no  hypocrite  or  evil-doer.  Through  his  intercession  they 
are  forgiven.  And,  with  a  fine  poetical  justice,  Job  shines 
out  after  his  heavy  cloud  of  trial  has  passed  away,  none 
the  worse  for  it,  but  all  the  better, —  surrounded  by  troops 
of  friends,  increased  prosperity,  and  a  family  quite  equal 
to  that  which  he  had  lost,  seven  sons  and  three  daughters 
— and  these  the  fairest  in  the  land. 

"  So  Job  died,  old  and  full  of  days."  This  is  a  character- 
istic ending  of  an  Old  Testament  book,  and  has  no  parallel 
in  the  New.  The  literature  of  the  Old  Covenant  regarded 
long  life  on  the  earth  as  a  great  object  of  desire,  and  gave 
no  such  prominence  to  heavenly  places  as  belongs  to  New 
Testament  revelation.  Nevertheless,  this  ancient  poem, 
with  the  story  on  which  it  is  founded,  has  appropriate  ad- 
monition and  inexhaustible  teaching  for  the  Christian 
Church. 

The  Book  of  Job  speaks  to  us  of — 

1.  The  Malice  of  Satan, — He  is  most  anxious  to  blacken 
the  character  and  overthrow  the  integrity  of  God's  servants. 
His  assaults  are  dictated  by  a  mocking  spirit  which  dis- 


JOB.  239 

believes  in  loyalty  of  heart  to  God,  and  by  a  cruel  spirit 
always  characteristic  of  him  who  is  "  a  murderer  from  the 
beginning."  No  servant  of  God  may  expect  altogether  to 
escape  the  Satanic  malice.  There  is  enmity  between  the 
Serpent  and  the  Seed  of  the  Woman  according  to  promise. 
But,  happily,  God  is  able  to  restrain  that  dragon;  can 
make  his  attacks  work  out,  as  in  the  case  of  Job,  a  higher 
good ;  and,  however  His  people  may  have  to  suffer  for  a 
time  from  a  bruised  heel,  the  God  of  Peace  will  in  the  end 
"  bruise  Satan  under  their  feet." 

2.  The  secret  of  patience. — "  Behold,  we  count  them  happy 
which  endure.  Ye  have  heard  of  the  patience  of  Job,  and 
have  seen  the  end  of  the  Lord;  that  the  Lord  is  very 
pitiful,  and  of  tender  mercy  "  * — "  Better  is  the  end  of  a 
thing  than  the  beginning  thereof :  and  the  patient  in  spirit 
is  better  than  the  proud  in  spirit."-)-  The  discipline  of 
suffering  on  the  earth  is  always  full  of  perplexity.  There 
is  nothing  better  than  to  be  still,  consider  "  the  end  of  the 
Lord,"  and  wait  in  hope  for  the  unravelling  of  His  merci- 
ful design.  If  we  stand  in  the  grace,  and  rejoice  in  hope 
of  the  glory  of  God,  then,  and  then  only,  may  we  even 
"glory  in  tribulations  also,  knowing  that  tribulation  work- 
eth  patience."  Nay,  even  if  we  cannot  sing  in  the  valley, 
but  pass  through  it  in  silence  and  tears,  we  shall,  if  wTe 
endure  meekly,  sing  by  and  by  upon  the  mountain  tops, 
with  happy  saints — 

"All  was  well,  which  God  appointed, 
All  has  wrought  for  good  at  last." 

3.  The  forcshadoiving  of  the  "Man  of  Sorrows,  acquainted 

*  James  v.  11.  +  Eccles.  vii.  8. 


240  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

wifh  grief." — All  the  deep  distresses  in  Old  Testament 
history  seem  to  pour  themselves  into  the  deeper  distress  of 
Christ.  The  abandonment  of  Joseph — the  rejection  of 
Moses — the  suffering  of  Job — the  afflictions  of  David — 
the  lamentations  of  Jeremiah — all  point  forward  to  Him 
who  bare  our  griefs  and  carried  our  sorrows — whose  "visage 
was  marred  more  than  any  man's,  and  his  form  than  the 
sons  of  men."  Satan  plotted  against  Him ;  and  Satan  was 
baffled  and  overthrown.  Miserable  comforters  and  coun- 
sellors wearied  Him,  but  He  turned  to  God,  seeking  only 
that  His  Father  should  be  glorified; — and  He  was  per- 
fected through  sufferings.  He  indeed  never  opened  His 
mouth,  as  Job  did,  to  murmur  or  upbraid.  But  He  did 
cry  to  God,  and  God  delivered  Him — "  My  God,  my  God, 
why  hast  Thou  forsaken  me  ?  Why  art  Thou  so  far  from 
helping  me  ? — I  am  a  worm,  and  no  man ;  a  reproach  of 
men,  and  despised  of  the  people.  All  they  that  see  me 
laugh  me  to  scorn. — Be  not  far  from  me,  for  trouble  is 
near;  for  there  is  none  to  help."* — "In  the  days  of  His 
flesh,  when  He  had  offered  up  prayers  and  supplications 
with  strong  crying  and  tears  unto  Him  that  was  able  to 
save  Him  from  death,  and  was  heard  in  that  He  feared ; 
though  He  were  a  Son,  yet  learned  He  obedience  by  the 
things  which  He  suffered."  -f- 

Let  the  meek  endurance  of  Christ  cast  a  tender  light 
backward  over  the  Book  of  Job,  and  forward  over  any 
tribulation  in  the  world  through  which  Christians  have  to 
pass.  Bemeraber,  too,  that  the  Comforter  has  come.  Under 
the  government  of  Christ,  and  the  teaching  of  the  Holy 
*  Ps.  jGrii.  +  Heb.  v.  7,  8. 


JOB.  241 

Ghost"-,  all  things  worlv  together  for  your  good,  who  love 
God.  Light  afflictions,  which  are  for  a  moment,  work 
for  you  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of 
glory. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PSALMS. 


PAET  I. 


We  have  unusually  high  authority  for  the  title  of  this 
book.  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  His  apostle  Peter,  alike 
refer  to  it  as  "  the  Book  of  Psalms."  *  In  Hebrew,  the 
collection  is  entitled  T'Hillim,  praises:  in  Greek, Psalmoi, 
songs  with  a  musical  accompaniment. 

We  have  here  150  lyrical  poems,  designed  for  use  in 
Divine  worship.  They  vary,  as  do  all  collections  of 
hymns,  in  beauty  and  excellence;  but  all  are  Divine 
songs,  composed  by  men  that  were  moved  by  the  Holy 
Ghost.  There  are  really  five  Books  of  Psalms  gathered 
into  one.  Those  five  may  be  distinguished  in  our  Bibles 
as  follows : — 

First  Book. — Psalms  i.-xli. ;  ending  with  Doxology  and 

double  Amen. 
Second  Do. — Psalms  xlii.-lxxii. ;  ending  in  the  same  way, 

(with  the  addition  that   "the  prayers   of 

David,  the  son  of  Jesse,  are  ended.") 
Third    Do. — Psalms  lxxiii-lxxxix. ;  ending  in  the  same 

way. 

*  See  Luke  xx.  42  :  Acts  i.  20. 


TEE  BOOK  OF  PSALMS.  243 

Fourth  Do. — Psalms  xc.-cvi.  ;  ending  with  Doxology, 
Amen,  and  Hallelujah. 

Fifth  Do. — Psalms  cvii.-cL;  ending  with  many  Halle- 
lujahs. 

There  is  thus  a  Pentateuch  of  the  Psalms,  as  well  as  a 
Pentateuch  of  the  Law.  There  is  also  something  like  the 
same  variation  in  the  use  of  the  Divine  name,  in  this  later 
Pentateuch,  that  is  found  in  the  earlier.  In  the  1st,  4th, 
and  5th  Books  of  Psalms,  the  Divine  Being  is  usually 
spoken  of  and  addressed  as  Jehovah ;  in  the  2d  and  3d 
Books,  commonly  as  Elohim,  God. 

The  Psalter  was  gradually  formed  during  the  times  of 
the  kingdom  ;  and  even  comprises  some  odes  that  were 
evidently  written  in  or  after  the  Captivity — e.g.,  the  126th 
and  137th.  Chronological  order  is  not  carefully  observed; 
but,  in  the  main,  the  oldest  Psalms  stand  first;  the  latest, 
last. 

Scholars  have  differed  as  to  the  value  of  the  inscriptions 
prefixed  to  the  Psalms,  so  far  as  respects  authorship.  They 
certainly  have  a  higher  claim  to  our  confidence  than  the 
subscriptions  appended  to  the  New  Testament  epistles ; 
and  are  entitled,  as  we  think,  to  a  general,  if  not  an  abso- 
lutely implicit  confidence. 

About  one-third  of  the  Psalms  are  anonymous,  like  the 
sublime  poem  of  Job.  Of  those  which  have  the  name  of 
an  author  prefixed,  one — the  90th — claims  a  great  anti- 
quity, for  it  is  ascribed  to  "  Moses,  the  man  of  God."  This 
has  been  confidently  denied  by  some  of  the  German  critics; 
but,  happily,  the  Germans  answer  one  another ;  and  others 
have  ably  vindicated  the  Mosaic  authorship  of  the  Psalin, 


244  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

and  sustained  the  claim  on  internal  evidence.  To  us  it 
seems  in  every  way  worthy  of  such  an  origin;  and  its 
lamentation  over  early  death  at  three  score  years  and  ten, 
agrees  well  with  what  must  have  been  the  feeling  of 
Moses,  when  he  saw  all  the  generation  that  he  led  out  of 
Egypt  falling  in  the  wilderness.  Seventy-three  Psalms 
have  the  name  of  "David  prefixed  to  them.  Twenty-four 
are  ascribed  to  poets  of  his  reign — twelve  of  these  to 
Asaph ;  eleven  to  the  sons  of  Korah,  among  whom  Heman 
was  the  most  famous ;  and  one,  but  a  very  great  one,  suffi- 
cient to  make  the  reputation  of  any  poet,  (the  89  th),  to 
Jeduthun  or  Ethan,  the  Ezrahite.  Two  Psalms  (the  7 2d 
and  127th)  are  attributed  to  Solomon — and  very  appro- 
priately, for  one  is  of  the  Kingdom  of  Peace,  the  other  of 
the  House  of  the  Lord. 

The  chief  name  connected  with  this  book  must  ever  be 
that  of  the  Son  of  Jesse.  David  was  "  the  sweet  Psalmist 
of  Israel."  Eichly  gifted  as  a  poet,  finely  skilled  as  a 
musician,  wondrously  educated  and  developed  in  all  his 
powers  by  a  life  of  vicissitude  and  romance,  above  all, 
deeply  taught  of  God,  and  capable  of  the  most  profound 
emotions  and  most  intense  ardours  of  soul,  he  was  the 
man  above  all  men  who  ever  lived,  to  compose  a  Psalter, 
for  the  consolation  and  instruction  of  such  as  are 
spiritual,  whether  in  Israel  or  in  the  Church.  Then  he 
had  so  vast  a  scope  of  thought  and  experience,  and  such  a 
range  of  spirit  from  the  depths  of  Sheol  or  Hades  to  the 
heights  of  Heaven,  that,  as  one  has  finely  said,  "every 
angel  of  joy  and  of  sorrow  swept,  as  he  passed,  over  the 
chords  of  David's  harp : "  and  "  the  hearts  of  a  hundred 


THE  BOOK  OF  PSALMS.  245 

men  strove  and  struggled  together  within  the  narrow  con- 
tinent  of  his  single  heart."  * 

Besides  the  names  of  authors  prefixed,  there  are  other 
inscriptions  to  the  Psalms.  Many  have  the  formula,  "  For 
the  Precentor,"  w\  as  we  have  it  rendered,  "  To  the  chief 
musician."  These  words,  of  course,  were  written  when  the 
verses  were  completed,  and  given  over  to  the  choir  master 
to  be  set  to  music  Other  titles  are  given  to  express  the 
character,  or  intention,  of  a  psalm.  One  is  for  teaching,  a 
second  to  bring  to  remembrance,  a  third  for  thanksgiving. 
One  is  a  prayer,  another  a  hymn,  a  third  a  song  of  loves ; 
others  are  songs  of  the  ascents  (degrees),  or  pilgrim  songs. 
Many  of  the  inscriptions  refer  to  the  melody,  or  to  the 
instrumental  accompaniment.  Just  as  we  have  the  names 
of  tunes  printed  on  our  psalm-books,  so  do  we  learn  that 
the  2 2d  Psalm  was  originally  set  to  the  music  known  as 
"  Hind  of  the  Dawn,"  for  the  afflicted  Messiah  is  likened 
in  that  Psalm  to  a  deer  compassed  by  wild  beasts  and 
hungry  dogs.  The  56th  was,  in  like  manner,  set  to  "  The 
silent  dove  in  far  off  lands ; "  for  David  sung  in  it  of  his 
wanderings,  and  his  exile  in  the  land  of  the  Philistines. 
The  instrumental  accompaniment  was  carefully  selected 
to  suit  the  character  of  the  Psalm.  Thus  the  5th  was  to 
have  flutes  ;  others  were  with  stringed  instruments.  Selah 
is  doubtless  a  musical  sign — the  signal  for  the  intervention 
of  a  musical  symphony,  or  of  a  blast  of  trumpets,  before 
the  voices  resumed. 

The  Psalms  may  be  classified  according  to  their  scope 
and  character,  thus — 

*  Edward  Irving's  Collected  "Writings,  vol.  i.,  p.  416. 


216  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

Historical— e.g.,  78th,  105th,  106th. 

Exultant— e.g.,  16tb,  47th,  66th,  93d,  96th,  98th,  100th, 

103d,  and  the  five  Hallelujah  Psalms  at  the  close. 
Plaintive— e.g.,  6th,  13th,  42d,  69th,  83th,  102d. 
Penitential — e.g.,  38th  and  51st. 
Admonitory  and  Didactic — e.g.,  37th,  91st,  107th. 

The  longest  of  all,  the  119th,  praises  the  Law  of  Gody 
and  expresses  delight  therein.  It  is  very  elaborate  in  its 
structure,  having  an  acrostic  arrangement.  It  is  divided 
into  parts  of  equal  length,  each  named  after  a  letter  of  the 
Hebrew  alphabet,  and  each  verse  beginning  with  the 
letter  of  that  part.  The  following  Psalms  are  also  acros- 
tic, and  they  are  all  of  a  didactic  character  too — the  25th, 
111th,  112th,  145th.  We  do  not  attach  any  great  value 
to  this  classification  of  Psalms,  for  many  will  not  fall 
under  any  one  of  these  categories,  having  in  themselves  so 
much  variety — historical  allusions,  joyful  acclamations, 
plaintive  cries,  bold  appeals,  and  prophetic  gleams  of 
thought. 

It  may  be  profitable  to  consider,  (1.)  The  relation  of  the 
Psalter  to  the  Law  and  to  Israel :  and,  (2.)  Its  value  to  the 
Christian  Church,  and  the  esteem  in  which  it  has  always 
been  held  by  Christians. 

I.  It  is  not  all  the  truth  concerning  the  Psalms,  but  it 
is  a  truth  not  unimportant,  that  they  were  written  in  the 
times  of  the  Old  Covenant,  and  originally  formed  the 
hymn-book  of  a  people  who  were  under  the  Law.  There 
is  in  them  Gospel  truth,  but  written  by  and  for  those  who 
lived  before  Gospel  times.     There  is  in  them   spiritual 


THE  BOOK  OF  PSALMS.  247 

teaching,  with  much  consolation  of  grace ;  but,  in  the  first 
instance,  for  persons  who  were  under  the  law  given  by 
Moses,  and  exercised  by  trials  and  fears  in  that  state, 
though  cheered  by  the  favour  of  Jehovah  to  Israel,  and 
the  earthly  calling  He  had  given  to  them,  apart  from  and 
above  all  nations.  Accordingly,  they  begin  by  declaring 
the  blessedness  of  him  who  loves  the  Law,  and  throughout 
they  aspire  to  the  full  realisation  of  Israel's  calling  as  the 
chosen  of  Jehovah,  fearing  Him,  and  exulting  in  the  sub- 
dual of  other  nations,  and  the  destruction  of  their  idols, 
before  the  face  of  Israel.  Without  doubt,  Christ  is  in 
them,  as  we  may  hereafter  show ;  but  it  is  Christ  presented 
to  Israel,  either  as  made  under  the  Law,  and  suffering  as 
the  "  One  Man  who  should  die  for  the  people,"  or  as  the 
exalted  King  in  Zion,  subduing  rulers  and  judges  of  the 
earth.  There  is  no  Psalm  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  although 
an  enlightened  Christian  may  trace  in  the  Psalter  the 
doctrine  of  the  Father,  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
But  the  praise  is  given  to  Jehovah  God,  for  His  judgments 
and  His  mercy;  and  Jerusalem  is  the  city  of  God, — Judah 
is  His  pleasant  land. 

It  is  no  disrespect  to  the  Psalter  to  remember  this.  It 
is  what  must  be  expected  in  an  Old  Testament  book, 
written  when  Israel  was  a  people  near  to  God,  and  the 
Gentiles  were  far  off,  and  the  calling  of  the  Church  had 
not  begun.  We  fear  that,  while  some  love  the  Psalms  for 
the  New  Testament  truth  that  is  couched  in  them,  a  good 
many  love  and  repeat  them  rather  for  that  Old  Testament- 
ism  which  is  their  defect.  These  persons  are  themselves 
under  the  Law,  and  have  not  reached,  nor  can  they  appre- 
ciate, Gospel  liberty.     They  are  servants  rather  than  sons 


US  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

are  religious  rather  than  spiritual,  are  always  struggling 
for  pardon  and  comfort,  not  enjoying  acceptance  and  com- 
pleteness in  Christ ;  so  they  take  the  position  of  a  Jewish 
Psalmist  as  quite  the  one  for  them,  and  are  always  in  the 
misgivings  of  an  Old  Testament  experience,  instead  of  the 
light  and  liberty  of  the  New. 

So  much  of  the  clispensational  position  of  the  Psalms. 
It  is  the  hymnal  of  a  household  of  faith  under  law,  before 
grace  and  truth  had  come  by  Jesus  Christ.  Still  this, 
while  true,  is  not  all  the  truth. 

II.  The  Psalms  are  invaluable  to  the  Christian  Church. 
They  have  been  used  in  its  service  from  the  beginning, 
and  have  been  held  in  the  utmost  admiration  and  esteem 
by  Christians  of  the  loftiest  strain  and  largest  spiritual 
calibre.  To  restrict  the  Christian  Church,  either  in  public 
or  in  family  worship  to  the  use  of  the  Psalter,  would  indeed 
be  to  commit  a  great  dispensational  mistake,  and  incur 
serious  injury ;  but  it  is  a  still  graver  mistake  and  deeper 
injury  to  supersede  the  Psalms  entirely  by  countless 
hymn-books,  or  to  sing  them  only  in  an  extremely  diluted 
and  enfeebled  paraphrase. 

The  Psalter  is  really  the  foundation  of  all  the  Christian 
service  of  song,  and  one  may  add,  of  a  large  proportion  of 
the  prayer  put  up  by  Christian  hearts,  alike  in  secret 
ch ambers  and  in  public  assemblies.  In  the  primitive 
Church  the  Psalms  were  sung.  In  the  fifth  century,  when 
the  mass  of  the  people  were  very  ignorant  of  Scripture,  the 
Psalms  held  their  ground,  for  it  is  testified  that  they  were 
committed  to  memory,  and  recited  or  sung  "in  private 
houses  in  market  places,  and  in  the  streets."     No  book  is 


TEE  BOOK  OF  PSALMS.  219 

so  largely  employed  in  religious  service  at  the  present  clay. 
It  is  honoured,  of  course,  in  the  Jewish  synagogue.  It  has 
a  prominent  place  in  the  Roman  service  of  the  Mass.  It 
is  so  arranged  in  the  English  Book  of  Common  Prayer, 
that  it  may  be  rehearsed  every  month.  The  Church  of 
Scotland,  in  common  with  the  reformed  Churches  of  the 
Continent,  broke  out  into  psalm-singing  at  the  Reforma- 
tion, and  has  never  tired  of  the  exercise.  The  casting  of 
the  Psalms  into  metre,  in  order  that  they  may  be  sung  to 
common  tunes,  is  questionable  on  the  score  of  taste,  and  is 
open  to  other  objections  ;  but  it  was  done  by  our  ancestors, 
with  a  good  and  wise  intention  of  popularising  the  Psalms. 
We  think  it  can  be  easily  made  out  that  the  Psalms  so 
used  have  been  an  inestimable  treasure  to  Churches  and 
nations  :  and  we  believe  that  the  Psalter  must  continue  to 
be  a  cherished  manual  of  devotion,  so  long  as  God  has  a 
people  on  the  earth.  "The  universal  Church  of  Christ 
hath  given  its  witness  that  these  Psalms  are  made  not  for 
one  age,  but  for  all  ages;  not  for  one  place,  but  for  all 
places ;  not  for  one  soul,  but  for  all  souls ;  time,  place,  and 
person  being  only  so  far  present  in  them  as  to  associate 
them  with  that  function  to  which  they  were  first  given, 
not  to  dissociate  them  from  any  other  generation  of  spiri- 
tual children  which,  in  after  ages,  was  to  be  born  to  the 
same  Spirit  by  the  seed  of  the  Word,  which  liveth  and 
abideth  for  ever."  * 

It  is  interesting,  too,  to  observe  how  firm  a  hold  the 
Psalter  has  taken  of  the  most  eminent  Christians.  Athana- 
sius  and  Chrysostom  delighted  in  them.  Ambrose  of 
Milan  says,  "  Although  all  divine  Scripture  breathes  the 

*  Edward  Irving's  Collected  Writings,  vol.  L,  p.  410. 


250  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

grace  of  God,  yet  sweet  beyond  all  others  is  the  Booh  of 
Psalms."  By  a  Psalm  was  Augustine  consoled  at  his  con- 
version, and  on  his  death-bed.  At  the  time  of  the  Refor- 
mation, both  Luther  and  Calvin  showed  a  high  esteem  of 
the  Psalter,  wrote  upon  it  at  length,  and  took  pains  to 
bring  it  into  popular  use.  The  former  called  it  "  a  little 
Bible,  the  summary  of  the  Old  Testament."  The  latter 
says  in  the  preface  to  his  Commentary,  "  I  have  been  wont 
to  call  this  book,  I  think  not  inappropriately,  an  anatomy 
of  all  parts  of  the  soul;  for  there  is  not  an  emotion  of 
which  any  one  can  be  conscious  that  is  not  here  repre- 
sented as  in  a  mirror.  Nay,  the  Holy  Spirit  has  here 
drawn  to  the  life  all  griefs,  sorrows,  fears,  doubts,  hopes, 
cares,  perplexities,  in  short,  all  the  distracting  agitations 
with  which  the  minds  of  men  are  wont  to  be  tossed.  This 
book  makes  known  not  only  that  there  is  opened  up  to  us 
familiar  access  to  Cod,  but  also  that  we  have  permission 
and  freedom  granted  to  us  to  lay  open  before  Him  our  in- 
firmities, which  we  would  be  ashamed  to  confess  before 
men.  Further,  we  are  here  accurately  instructed  as  to  the 
right  manner  of  offering  to  God  the  sacrifice  of  praise, 
which  He  declares  to  be  most  precious  in  His  sight,  and  of 
the  sweetest  odour."  Bishop  Jeremy  Taylor  found  in  this 
book  "  so  many  admirable  promises,  so  rare  a  variety  of  the 
expressions  of  the  mercies  of  God,  so  many  consolatory 
hymns,  the  commemoration  of  so  many  deliverances  from 
dangers,  deaths,  and  enemies,  so  many  miracles  of  mercy 
and  salvation,"  that  he  felt  persuaded  "  there  could  come 
no  affliction  great  enough  to  spend  so  great  a  stock  of  com- 
fort as  was  laid  up  in  the  treasure  of  the  Psalter." 

But  who  shall  tell  how  many  obscure  Christians,  un- 


THE  BOOK  OF  PSALMS.  251 

known  to  earthly  fame,  but  dear  to  God  and  written  in 
heaven,  this  book  has  taught  and  comforted  ?  Nay,  who 
is  a  Christian  at  all — who  has  any  measure  of  spiritual 
discernment  and  sensibility,  and  does  not  love  the  Psalter  ? 
Not  only  so,  but  you,  who  value  the  book  as  a  whole,  are 
almost  sure  to  have  your  favourite  psalm  or  psalms,  that 
seem  always  to  strike  an  answering  chord  within  your 
breast.  Is  it  the  8th,  that  song  in  the  night  of  the  Son  of 
man  ?  or  the  pastoral  which  every  one  knows — the  23d — 
a  song  which  one  has  called  the  nightingale  of  the  psalms 
— "  small  and  of  a  homely  feather,  but  filling  the  air  of  the 
whole  world  with  melodious  joy  %n  Is  it  a  song  of  Messiah 
—the  2d,  22d,  or  11  Oth?  Is  it  the  plaintive  trustful- 
ness of  the  42d,  and  43d  ?  Is  it  the  song  of  the  great 
marriage  (45th),  or  of  the  kingdom  (72d),  or  of  the  vine- 
yard (80th)  ?  Is  it  the  sublime  hymn  of  the  covenant 
(89th) —the  odesof  gratitude  (103d  and  1 1 6th)— thecelebra- 
tion  of  God's  works  (104th),  or  of  His  omnipresence  and 
omniscience  (139  th)  ?  Or,  what  think  you  of  the  ringing 
hallelujah  psalms  that  conclude  the  whole  Psalter,  as  some 
master-piece  of  music  ends  with  full  clear  resounding  notes, 
that  fill  the  ear,  and  swell  the  soul  ?  Nay,  be  not  too 
partial ;  step  not  from  one  favourite  psalm  to  another,  but 
go  through  the  book  in  detail,  and  you  will  find  that 
through  field  and  flood,  over  the  hills  of  Bashan,  and  down 
into  shaded  valleys,  now  far  off  in  the  desert,  now  in  the 
deep  with  rolling  billows,  and  now  in  the  meadows  by  the 
margin  of  still  waters,  you  are  led  in  repentance,  faith, 
self-conquest,  patient  endurance,  and  holy  aspiration,  on- 
ward to  the  joy  of  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord,  and  the 
ecstasy  of  heavenly  praise. 


253  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

Wherever  the  gospel  spreads  and  prevails,  it  produces 
singers  of  "  psalms,  and  hymns,  and  spiritual  songs."  With 
the  preachers  of  that  gospel,  the  Hebrew  bards  are  at  this 
day  going  through  the  earth  in  every  speech  and  language. 
Their  words  bring  God  and  man  together  in  Christ.  They 
chase  away  griefs  and  fears ;  pour  strong  stimulus  of  courage 
into  the  breast  of  good  soldiers  of  Christ,  and  balm  of 
consolation  into  the  hearts  of  the  sick  and  the  poor, 
desolate  widows,  and  orphans  in  their  loneliness. 

Sing,  0  Christian  !  on  your  heavenly  way.  Let  God  be 
extolled  both  in  the  sanctuary,  and  in  the  firmament  ot 
His  power.    "Let  all  breath  praise  the  Lord.    Hallelujah." 


THE  BOOK  OF  PSALMS. 


PART  n. 


Having  spoken  of  the  form  and  arrangement  of  the  Psalter, 
and  generally  of  its  position  in  Israel  and  its  value  for  the 
Church,  we  propose  briefly  to  examine  its  contents,  as  a 
theological  and  prophetical  book.  It  is  a  very  notable 
circumstance,  that  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  referred  to  or 
quoted  nine  psalms— the  8th,  22d,  31st,  41st,  48th,  69th, 
82d,  110th,  and  118th  : — and  the  evangelists  and  apostles 
quote  no  fewer  than  thirty-three  of  them.  A  book  so 
honoured  in  the  New  Testament  evidently  possesses  peculiar 
claims  on  our  study.  We  shall  try  to  classify  its  principal 
teachings. 

I.  Its  Doctrine  of  God,  or  Theology  proper. — Although 
the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  are  in  the  Psalms, 
the  time  had  not  come  for  the  teaching  of  the  doctrine  of 
the  Trinity,  or  for  the  proclamation  of  the  Divine  name  as 
the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost.  To  the  Hebrew 
poets,  as  to  the  Hebrew  historians  and  annalists,  Jehovah 
was  God,  in  contrast  with  the  worthless  gods  of  the  heathen. 
Before  Hesiod  wrote  his  "  Theogony,"  or  Homer  sang  of 


254  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

the  gods  and  goddesses  warring  in  the  conflicts  of  men,  the 
bards  of  Israel  had  struck  a  nobler  key,  and  sounded  the 
praises  of  one  Almighty  God,  supreme  in  heaven  and  in 
earth.  "  All  the  gods  of  the  nations  are  idols  (nothings) : 
but  Jehovah  made  the  heavens." 

God  is  revealed  and  lauded  in  His  various  attributes. 
He  is,  in  the  Psalter,  the  living  God — most  high,  holy, 
good,  gracious,  merciful,  and  mighty.  His  glory  in  the 
creation  is  celebrated  in  some  of  the  finest  lyrics  within 
the  collection.  But  there  is  no  hiding  of  His  personality, 
or  reducing  the  Creator  to  an  abstraction — to  a  name  for 
nature,  or  a  supreme  law  of  existence,  and  order  of  things. 
He  who  made  the  heavens  and  the  earth  is  always  identifier1 
with  the  God  of  Israel,  and  extolled  as  the  King  in  Zion. 
The  psalmists  shout  for  joy  before  Him,  and  call  on  the 
very  trees  of  the  wood  to  clap  their  hands. 

The  figure  of  speech,  by  which  God  is  described  under 
the  form,  and  appears  to  possess  the  parts  and  feelings  of 
a  man,  is,  as  might  be  expected,  largely  employed  in  the 
Hebrew  poetry.  Men  hear  the  voice  of  God,  and  see  His 
glorious  marchings;  are  cheered  by  the  light  of  His 
countenance,  or  troubled  by  the  hidings  of  His  face.  He 
goes  up  with  a  shout — rides  on  a  cherub — sits  in  His 
temple — flies  on  the  wings  of  the  wind.  He  opens  His 
hand  to  feed  His  creatures,  and  stretches  out  His  arm  to 
help  His  people.  A  psalmist  appeals  to  God  for  interposi- 
tion in  the  boldest  language — "  Pluck  thy  right  hand  out 
of  thy  bosom.     Arise,  why  sleepest  thou,  0  Lord." 

II.  Doctrine  of  Christ,  or  Messiah. — Xo  Christian  can 
doubt  that  some  of  the  Psalms  are  Messianic,  or  prophetic 


THE  BOOK  OF  PSALMS.  253 

of  Christ,  on  some  principle,  and  to  some  extent.  No 
otherwise  can  a  believer  in  the  New  Testament  understand 
such  Psalms  as  the  2d,  8th,  22d,  45th,  72d,  and  110th; 
and  besides  these,  devout  Christians  have  been  wont  to 
perceive  in  all  parts  of  the  Psalter,  if  not  a  continuous 
strain,  at  all  events  snatches  as  of  a  distant  melody,  sing- 
ing of  the  sufferings  of  Christ,  and  of  the  glory  that  should 
follow.  It  is  a  question,  however,  fairly  enough  under 
discussion,  on  what  principle  Psalms  in  whole  or  part  are 
Messianic,  i.e.,  whether  they  are  direct  predictions  of  Jesus 
Christ  to  come,  or  indirect,  in  this  sense,  that  they  are 
originally  and  properly  written  of  David  or  Solomon,  and 
are  found  applicable  to  Christ,  because  David  and  Solomon 
wrere  types  of  Him.  To  us  it  appears  that  these  theories  are 
not  so  opposed  as  to  exclude  each  other,  and  there  is  no  rea- 
son why  both  should  not  be  true.  The  latter  explanation  best 
suits  some  of  the  Messianic  passages,  especially  those  con- 
tained in  Psalms — as  the  40th  and  41st — which  cannot  be 
applied  in  whole  to  the  undenled  Jesus,  because  of  their 
confessions  of  personal  sin.  But  there  are  others — especi- 
ally those  mentioned  above,  the  2d,  45th,  72d,  and  110th 
— which  require  the  former  theory,  and  are  most  naturally 
interpreted  and  easily  understood  as  direct  prophecies  in 
the  Spirit  of  the  Messiah-king. 

Christ  is  set  forth  in  the  Psalms  in  His  two  states  of 
humiliation  and  exaltation.  The  2 2d  traces  the  former 
down  even  to  the  dust  of  death,  and  then  anticipates  the 
latter  with  hopefulness  and  joy.  The  109th  and  110th 
are  a  pair,  the  former  dealing  with  the  sorrow  and  suffer- 
ing of  Christ,  the  latter  with  His  elevation  and  power, 
■while  seated  as  Priest-king  at  Jehovah's  right  hand.     The 


256  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

2d,  16th,  and  118th  speak  of  His  resurrection — the  first  of 
these  celebrating  His  being  begotten  again  from  the  dead, 
and  so  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God. 

Then  we  have  glorious  things  spoken  of  the  covenanted 
supremacy  and  kingdom  of  Christ.  A  covenant  was  made 
with  David  concerning  the  succession  of  his  children  on 
his  throne.  The  promise  of  that  covenant  was  the  Gospel 
of  the  period.  To  it  clung  the  faith  of  the  godly  in  the 
land,  despite  the  folly  of  David's  children,  and  children's 
children.  The  covenant  was  well  ordered  and  sure.  The 
promise  was  of  a  son  of  David,  who  should  have  universal 
dominion  and  a  throne  for  ever  and  ever.  Solomon  was 
not  that  son  of  David,  for  it  is  he  who,  in  the  72d  Psalm, 
sings  of  Him  as  yet  to  come,  and  to  have  supremacy  far 
beyond  the  bounds  of  Israel — "  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from 
the  river  to  the  ends  of  the  earth."  It  is  a  song  of  Christ, 
who  shall  sit  on  the  throne  of  His  father  David.  He  is 
"  the  root  and  offspring  of  David,  and  the  bright  and  morn- 
ing Star." 

The  45th  Psalm  is  "  concerning  the  King."  Allow  as 
much  as  we  may  for  oriental  splendour  of  diction,  it  is 
impossible  to  interpret  this  Psalm  with  satisfaction  of  the 
nuptials  of  Solomon  or  any  Jewish  king.  A  greater  than 
Solomon  is  here — One  beautiful  beyond  the  children  of 
men,  and  destined  to  reign  as  God  for  ever  and  ever,  with 
a  sceptre  of  righteousness.  Gracious  in  speech,  He  is  both 
great  in  conquest  and  just  in  ruling  over  men.  To  Him  is 
the  Church  brought  in  holy  beauties,  as  a  bride  adorned 
for  her  husband.  He  is  her  Lord,  and  she  bows  herself 
before  Him.  The  Psalm  is  in  perfect  accord  with  that 
which  Christians  have  for  so  many  centuries  been  wont  to 


THE  BOOK  OF  PSALMS.  257 

say  and  sing — "  Thou  art  the  King  of  Glory,  0  Christ ; 
thou  art  the  everlasting  Son  of  the  Father  ! " 

III.  Doctrine  of  Antichrist  and  enemies. — Not  only  does 
Christ  look  out  on  us  from  the  Psalter  with  the  health  of 
His  countenance,  but  Antichrist  too,  with  his  "  stout  look  " 
and  cruel  pride.  "  The  enemy  "  of  David  is,  in  a  figure, 
the  enemy  of  Christ — the  lawless  one,  the  son  of  perdition. 
Then  the  false  witnesses,  the  traitors,  and  the  wicked 
who  rise  up  against  David,  are  the  false  accusers,  and  the 
Judas  Iscariot,  and  the  proud  and  bitter  adversaries  of 
Christ. 

This  accounts  largely,  though  not  entirely,  for  the 
minatory  language  of  many  Psalms — denunciations  of 
terrible  wrath,  and  prayers  for  vengeance.  Five  in  par- 
ticular—the 7th,  35th,  58th,  69th,  and  109th— are  so  full 
of  imprecation,  that  we  may  be  pardoned  if  we  read  parts 
of  them  with  bated  breath  and  a  faltering  lip.  We  have 
known  persons  who  could  read,  and  even  sing,  such  pas- 
sages comfortably  enough.  It  was  because  they  had 
trained  themselves  to  apply  them  to  unseen  spiritual  ene- 
mies, evil  principalities  and  powers  around  them,  or  sinful 
dispositions  within  them,  warring  against  the  soul.  But, 
after  all,  this  is  only  a  process  of  accommodation,  and  evi- 
dently fails  when  we  come  to  such  language  as  the  follow- 
ing, "  Let  his  children  be  fatherless,  and  his  wife  a  widow. 
Let  his  children  be  continually  vagabonds,  and  beg.  Let 
his  posterity  be  cut  off,  and  in  the  generation  following  let 
their  name  be  blotted  out.  Let  the  iniquity  of  his  lathers 
be  remembered  with  the  Lord,  and  let  not  the  sin  of  his 
mother  be  blotted  out."     It  is  a  thorough  oriental  impre- 


258  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

cation,  seeking  to  sweep  away  a  whole  family  for  the  sin 
of  one  man. 

It  is  true  that  this  vengeance  is  invoked  on  the  head  of 
the  betrayer  of  Christ :  and  we  may  profit  by  reading  even 
the  severest  of  the  passages  to  which  we  now  refer,  when 
we  regard  them  as  dictated  by  a  burning  zeal  for  the 
honour  of  Jehovah,  a  righteous  indignation  and  a  jealousy 
of  love,  and  generally,  if  not  universally,  as  denunciations 
of  just  judgment  against  the  obstinate  enemies  of  Christ, 
and  all  who  obey  not  the  Gospel  of  God.  At  the  same 
time,  these  passages  cannot  be  fully  accounted  for  without 
a  frank  recognition  of  the  fact  that  the  Psalter  was  con- 
ceived and  written  under  the  Old  Covenant.  That  dis- 
pensation was  more  stern  than  ours.  God's  people  had 
vrith  all  other  peoples  a  conflict  of  sword  and  spear.  They 
wanted  to  tread  down  their  enemies,  to  crush  the  heathen ; 
and  thought  it  a  grand  religious  triumph  for  a  righteous 
man  to  wash  his  feet  in  the  blood  of  the  wicked  *  Now, 
the  struggle  is  without  carnal  weapons,  and  the  tone  of 
the  dispensation  is  changed.  We  admit  that  there  are 
instances  of  imprecation  in  the  New  Testament — in  the 
words  of  St.  Paul,  that  Hebrew  of  the  Hebrews.  He  said 
to  the  High  Priest,  Ananias,  "  God  shall  smite  thee,  thou 
whited  wall:"  he  wrote  to  Timothy,  "Alexander  the 
coppersmith  did  me  much  evil ;  the  Lord  reward  him  (a 
very  probable  reading  gives  '  shall  reward  him')  according 
to  his  works."  The  same  apostle  writes  to  the  Corinthians, 
"  If  any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be 
Anathema  Maranatha."     But,  as  a  recent  writer  on  the 

*  Ps.  lviii.  10  :  lxviii.  23. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PSALMS.  259 

Psalms  has  well  observed*  these  expressions  of  St.  Paul 
are  very  different  from  the  deliberate  and  carefully  con- 
structed anathemas  of  the  Psalter ;  and  then,  they  are  only 
the  sayings  of  one  man,  not  put  into  the  mouth  of  the 
Church,  as  the  severest  passages  in  the  Psalms  were  put 
into  the  mouth  of  Israel.     For  our  own  part,  we  cannot 
harmonise  the  curses  in  this  book  with  the  mind  of  Christ, 
or  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel.     And  why  should  we  attempt 
it  ?     James  and  John  had  the  spirit  of  Elias,  when,  in  zeal 
for  Christ  their  master,  they  wished  to  consume  a  Samari- 
tan village  that  rejected  Him,  with  fire  from  heaven.     The 
spirit  of  Elijah  became  a  prophet  of  God  in  that  old  time, 
but  it  is  not  appropriate  to  the  disciples  of  Christ.     "  The 
Son  of  Man  is  come  not  to  destroy  men's  lives,  but  to  save 
them."     To  point  out  this  distinction  is  not  to  disparage 
ancient  Scriptures,  but  simply  to  note  that  progress  in 
revelation  which  God  has  seen  best  for  His  own  glory,  and 
for  the  moral  and  religious  education  of  His  people.     It  is 
not  to  depreciate  the  ancients  who  were  pious,  but  only  to 
say  that  they  lived  according  to  the  light  given  in  their 
day — which  is  all  that  could  be  said  of  the  pious  now. 
To  take  the  opposite  course,  and  ignore  this  distinction,  in 
order  to  make  out  that  Moses,  Samuel,  David,  and  Elijah 
were  Christians,  is  to  confuse  everything.     It  is  of  a  piece 
with  the  medley  of  interpretation  which  identifies  Israel 
with  the  Church,  and  the  earthly  calling  with  the  heavenly; 
and  it  hinders  the  Christian  cause  by  binding  it  to  the  de- 
fence of  things  that,  however  they  may  have  been  per- 

*  Rev.  Prof.  Perowne  on  the  Book  of  Psalms,  2d  ed.,  IS 70,  by  whose  ex- 
cellent work  I  have  been  much  assisted  in  this  and  the  previous  lecture. 


260  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

mitted  once,  cannot  be  defended  or  justified  now.  By  all 
means  we  should  learn  from  the  ancients  sturdy  moral 
earnestness,  and  hatred  of  iniquity;  hut  we  are  not  the 
followers  of  the  man  who  wrote  of  his  enemies,  "  Let  the 
angel  of  the  Lord  chase  them ;  let  their  way  he  dark  and 
slippery ;  and  let  the  angel  of  the  Lord  persecute  them."  * 
"We  are  the  disciples  of  Him  who,  while  He  hung  tortured 
on  the  cross,  said,  "  Father,  forgive  them,  for  they  know  not 
what  they  do!" 

IV.  Doctrine  of  Divine  Providence  toward  the  Godly. — 
Take  the  37th  Psalm  as  one  of  the  Divine  ordering  of 
man's  lot  upon  the  earth — the  perplexities  of  the  pious, 
the  reward  of  their  patience.  In  the  eyes  of  those  who 
feared  Jehovah,  the  prosperity  of  ungodly  men  was  a  great 
anomaly.  We  do  not  so  much  wonder  at  it,  because  we 
take  the  future  after  death  fully  into  our  view.  But  the 
ancients,  not  having  that  future  so  clearly  revealed, 
thought  more  than  we  do  of  retribution  in  the  present  life, 
and  became  much  perplexed,  and  even  impatient,  when 
they  did  not  see  temporal  recompense  assigned  to  the 
righteous,  and  palpable  judgments  inflicted  on  the  wicked. 
The  Psalmist,  however,  had  such  a  perception  of  the  large 
scale  on  which  God  governs,  and  of  the  infallible  certainty 
with  which  good  and  evil  work  out  their  own  results,  that 
he  could,  in  full  view  of  all  perplexities  about  Providence, 
sing  of  patience,  confidence — nay,  of  delight  in  the  Lord. 
One  can  imagine  the  comfort  with  which  a  right-minded 
Israelite,  suffering  affliction  or  calumny,  recited  or  sung 
this  great  Psalm  of  David — or  the  73d,  by  Asaph — learn- 

*  Ps.  xxxv.  5,  6. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PSALMS.  261 

ing  to  "trust  in  God,  and  do  the  right,"  to  be  still,  and 
wait  the  Lord's  time.  "For  the  Lord  loveth  judgment, 
and  forsaketh  not  His  saints ;  they  are  preserved  for  ever ; 
but  the  seed  of  the  wicked  shall  be  cut  off." 

There  is  little  to  be  added  to  this  in  the  New  Dispensa- 
tion ;  indeed  nothing,  but  that  recompense  and  retribution 
are  more  clearly  seen  to  range  over  the  world  to  come,  as 
well  as  the  world  that  now  is ;  and  that  Providence  is 
placed  under  Christ  for  the  good  of  His  Body  the  Church. 
We  have  to  take  a  wider  horizon  for  our  patience,  and  to 
see  Jesus  invested  with  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth; 
and  then  we  find  no  book  of  the  Bible  so  helpful  and  con- 
solatory in  affliction  as  the  Psalms.  Our  best  Christian 
hymns  of  Providence  can  say  no  more  than  did  these 
Hebrew  Psalms,  nearly  three  thousand  years  ago — 

' '  Blind  unbelief  is  sure  to  err, 
And  scan  His  work  in  vain  ; 
God  is  His  own  interpreter, 
And  He  will  make  it  plain." 

V.  Doctrine  of  Forgiveness  of  Sins. — The  teaching  of  the 
Psalms  on  this  subject  is  exactly  the  same  as  that  of  New 
Testament  Scripture.  Forgiveness  is  with  God.  It  is 
bestowed  of  His  free  grace,  and  for  His  name's  sake,  on 
those  who  confess,  and  desire  to  forsake,  sin.  And  it  is  a 
present  forgiveness,  assured  to  the  conscience  by  God's 
word — cleansing  the  soul,  and  clearing  the  sinner  from 
every  charge  of  guilt. 

The  Divine  pardon  of  an  Israelite  was  in  virtue  of  the 
great  Propitiation  for  sins — the  death  of  Christ — the  same 
ground  on  which  we  are  forgiven.  Christ  suffered  for  the 
remission  of  sins  that  were  past :  and  God,  in  blotting  out 


262  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

transgressions  during  the  ages  before  He  came,  had  respect 
to  the  future  Atonement,  even  as  in  the  present  age  He 
has  respect  to  the  Atonement  which  was  accomplished 
long  ago  upon  the  Cross.  David  saw  this  with  some  de- 
gree of  clearness  when  he  said,  "  Purge  me  with  hyssop," 
— in  allusion  to  the  bunch  of  hyssop  at  the  end  of  the  rod 
of  cedar-woocl,  used  under  the  Mosaic  law  to  sprinkle  blood 
and  water  on  the  defiled.  He  knew  that  the  forgiveness  of 
sins  requires  sin-offering — and  we  presume  that  he  in  the 
Spirit  saw  afar  off  the  precious  blood  of  Christ.  But  the 
essential  point  is,  that  God  had  respect  to  that  perfect 
offering. 

What  the  37th  Psalm  was  to  the  pious  in  perplexity, 
the  32d  must  have  been  to  Hebrew  penitents.  It  tells  of 
transgression  taken  away,  as  an  intolerable  burden  is  re- 
moved ;  of  sin  covered,  so  that  the  sinner  is  before  God's 
judgment  as  if  he  had  not  sinned  at  all ;  and  of  iniquities 
not  reckoned  to  the  worker  thereof.  This  it  is,  which  St. 
Paul  quotes  in  one  of  his  chief  arguments  on  justification, 
"  David  also  describeth  the  blessedness  of  the  man  unto 
whom  God  imputeth  righteousness  without  works."*  The 
non-imputation  of  iniquity  is  taken  to  imply  the  imputa- 
tion of  righteousness. 

There  is  great  encouragement  in  the  personal  character 
of  what  is  said  in  the  Psalms  on  forgiveness.  Just  as  we 
love  to  hear  Paul  say,  "  I  obtained  mercy,"  so  must  we  be 
glad  of  David's  avowed  experience  of  the  blessedness  of 
pardon.  He  who  delivered  the  doctrine  of  Divine  for- 
giveness, had  proved  it  true.  "  I  said,  I  will  confess  my 
transgressions   unto   the   Lord,   and   thou   for^avest    the 

*  Rom.  iv.  6. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PSALMS.  2G3 

iniquity  of  my  sin.     For  this,  shall  every  one  that  is  godly 
pray  unto  thee."* 

VI.  Doctrine  of  Integrity  of  Heart. — With  all  their  sharp 
sense  of  sin,  the  Psalmists  had  a  habit  of  affirming  their 
own  uprightness  and  integrity,  which  is  strange  to  us,  and 
has  been  even  charged  with  savouring  of  over-confidence 
and  self-righteousness.  We  refer  to  such  passages  as  the 
following — "  Judge  me,  0  Lord ;  for  I  have  walked  in 
mine  integrity." — "  I  have  kept  the  ways  of  the  Lord,  and 
have  not  wickedly  departed  from  my  God.  I  was  also 
upright  before  Him,  and  I  kept  myself  from  mine  iniquity. 
Therefore  hath  the  Lord  recompensed  me  according  to  my 
righteousness,  according  to  the  cleanness  of  my  hands  in 
His  eyesight."  f 

We  might  not  volunteer  such  statements,  because  the 
light  has  become  more  searching  since  the  sojourn  of 
Christ  on  earth,  and  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to 
convince  of  sin.  But  no  apology  whatever  is  needed  for 
the  language  of  the  Psalmists.  It  proceeds  not  out  of  any 
unseemly  arrogance,  but  from  "  the  free  and  princely  heart 
of  innocence."  It  is  the  childlike  joyful  declaration  of 
conscious  integrity  of  purpose,  and  uprightness  of  heart 
toward  God,  as  against  all  imputations  of  dissembling  and 
hypocrisy.  St.  Paul,  indeed,  had  the  same  rejoicing  in  the 
testimony  of  his  conscience,  to  his  own  "simplicity  and 
godly  sincerity."  J 

The  lesson  to  us  of  such  passages  is,  that  we  ought  to 
have  "  love  out  of  a  pure  heart,  a  good  conscience,  and  faith 
unfeigned."     They  urge   us,   as  followers  of  the   Son  of 

*  Ps.  xxxii.  5,  6.  f  Ps.  xxvi.  1  •  xviii.  21-24.  £  2  Cor.  i.  12. 


264  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

David,  to  draw  near  to  God  in  the  holiest  with  "  a  true 
heart."  If  we  regard  iniquity  in  our  hearts,  the  Lord  will 
not  hear  us. 

VII.  Doctrine  of  Resurrection  and  a  Future  Life. — We 
must  take  care  not  to  depreciate  the  consolation  and  hope 
of  the  ancient  believers ;  yet  we  can  see  plainly  that  the 
recognition  of  a  future  life  was  gradual  among  the  people 
of  God.  It  is  true  that  Abraham,  seeing  the  day  of  Christ 
afar  off,  had  also  the  conception  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  and  looked  for  a  better  country,  that  is,  a  heavenly. 
This,  however,  we  learn  from  the  New  Testament.*  It 
was  not  so  read  by  the  children  of  Israel :  and,  for  all  that 
appears  in  Genesis,  Abraham  saw  nothing  beyond  death. 
Jacob  and  Joseph  gave  commandment  concerning  their 
burial  in  Canaan,  but  said  nothing  of  a  happy  future. 
Moses  was  equally  silent.  Joshua  merely  said,  "I  am 
going  the  way  of  all  the  earth."  David  and  the  sacred 
poets  began  to  utter  the  hope  beyond  the  grave  that  cheers 
the  just.  In  the  Prophets,  it  became  clearer  still.  And 
long  before  our  Lord's  time,  the  belief  in  resurrection  and 
future  life  was  well  established  among  the  Jews;  and 
those  who  rejected  that  belief  were  called  the  sect  of  the 
Sadducees. 

The  object  of  the  Psalter  was  to  cultivate  friendship  with 
and  trust  in  God,  as  the  present  duty  and  the  highest 
good — taking  little  account  of  a  hereafter.  We  know  from 
the  New  Testament,  that  the  16th  and  118th  Psalms  fore- 
told the  resurrection  of  Christ ;  but  no  one  can  tell  how 
far  those  who  sang  the  Psalms  saw  into  the  truth  which 

*  Heb.xi.  9-19. 


THE  BOOK  OF  PSALMS.  2G5 

the  Spirit  signified.  Of  the  wicked  after  death,  it  is  only 
said  they  shall  be  cast  into  Sheol  or  Hades.  Of  a  life  to 
come  for  the  godly,  there  is  no  very  clear  or  definite  state- 
ment. David,  in  the  23d  Psalm,  speaks  of  dwelling  "  in 
the  house  of  the  Lord  for  a  length  of  days,"  but  whether 
before  or  after  death  does  not  appear.  Later  Psalms  tell 
of  mercy  enduring  for  ever,  and  of  "  life  for  evermore."  * 
But  a  future  life,  or  a  heavenly  home,  plays  no  such  part 
of  consolation  in  the  Psalter  as  it  does  in  a  Christian 
hymnal.  As  a  matter  of  course,  every  Christian  using  the 
Psalms  supplies  those  considerations  and  hopes  which  he 
has  imbibed  from  later  revelation.  We  read  the  Psalter  in 
a  Christian  sense,  as  respects  all  its  doctrines,  but  we  do 
not  suppose  that  it  possessed  that  sense  for  ordinary  minds 
in  Israel.  The  book  is  part  of  a  progressive  revelation, 
and  carefully  adapted  to  the  time  in  which  it  appeared, 
while  it  is  so  written  as  to  be  profitable  to  all  saints,  and 
to  be  capable  of  being  transfigured  by  a  spiritual  Christian 
mind  into  a  hymn-book  of  the  most  evangelical  faith  and 
the  most  heavenly  hope  of  glory. 

To  us  the  very  exercise  of  praise  suggests  the  life  to 
come,  and  the  happy  land.  No  willowT-trees  are  there  on 
which  to  hang  the  harps,  no  sorrow  there,  no  sense  of 
exile,  no  sickness  of  heart,  no  faint  or  faltering  note. 
There  are  psalms  for  merry  hearts  in  heaven  always,  and 
melody  for  ever  around  the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb. 
What  infatuation  it  is  to  lose  so  great  a  joy  for  some  short- 
lived pleasure  of  sin  !  "  Woe  unto  you  that  laugh  now  : 
for  ye  shall  mourn  and  weep.  Blessed  are  ye  that  weep 
now :  for  ye  shall  laugh."  -f-  Come  to  Christ  with  tears, 
*  Ps.  cxxxiii.  3.  t  Luke  vi  21,  25. 


266  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

that  you  may  not  weep  bitter  tears  too  late  when  He  "bids 
you  depart,  but  may  come  to  Zion  with  songs,  and  join  the 
company  of 

"  Saved  souls  and  angels  sweet 
Who  love  the  God  of  love. 

"  They  love,  they  praise  ;  they  praise,  they  love, 
They  '  Holy,  Holy '  cry  ; 
They  neither  toil,  nor  faint,  nor  end, 
But  laud  continually." 


THE  PEOVERBS. 

After  the  feeding  of  devotion  in  the  Psalter,  tins  book 
comes  in  well  for  admonition  and  guidance  in  practical 
life.  If  it  is  good  to  see  how  the  Bible  nourishes  a  fervent 
spirit,  it  is  also  good  to  see  how  it  recognises  steady  prin- 
ciple, and  smiles  on  sobriety,  discretion,  and  shrewdness  of 
mind.  The  Psalms  are  to  thrill  and  animate  the  heart, 
the  Proverbs  to  direct  the  way  that  we  should  take.  This 
book  does  not  deal  with  the  salvation  of  a  sinner.  It  has 
no  word  whatever  of  redemption,  propitiation,  or  justifica- 
tion. It  relates  to  our  walk  on  the  earth,  applies  heavenly 
principles  to  that  walk,  and  warns  us  not  to  play  the 
fool. 

The  word  translated  "  Proverb  "  is  sometimes  rendered 
"  Parable."  Its  essential  idea  is  that  of  teaching  moral  or 
spiritual  truth  by  comparisons.  This  was  done  by  the 
eastern  sages,  sometimes  in  concise  pregnant  sayings  or 
proverbs,  sometimes  in  a  more  lengthened  similitude  or 
story — the  parable.  The  wisdom  of  Solomon  preferred 
the  former  method.  It  was  the  manner  of  his  mind  to 
express  his  philosophy  of  life  in  short,  pithy  sayings  that 
are  easily  grasped  by  the  memory,  while,  with  their  sharp 
points,  they  penetrate  the  soul     The  writing  of  such  pro- 


268  SYXOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

verbs  was  favoured  by  the  parallel  structure  of  Hebrew 
poetry,  holding  the  truth  neatly  and  firmly,  as  one  *  has 
happily  said,  "forceps-fashion,  between  the  points  of  an 
opposing  antithesis." 

The  proverbs  of  the  Gentile  nations  are  almost  all  of 
anonymous  origin — concentrations  of  many  men's  wisdom, 
or  expressions  of  a  popular  humour,  or  national  turn  of 
thought,  floating  down,  in  the  concise  form  of  the  apothegm, 
from  an  unknown  antiquity.  But  almost  all  the  proverbs 
.of  the  Hebrews  are  due  to  the  wit  and  wisdom  of  one  man 
whom  God  had  specially  endowed. 

David  was  not  more  thoroughly  trained  to  be  the 
Psalmist  of  Israel  than  Solomon  was  qualified  to  be  the 
Master  of  practical  admonition.  The  one  had  his  native 
genius  and  sensibility  developed  in  a  chequered  and 
romantic  life,  as  well  as  his  spirit  moved  by  the  Spirit  of 
the  Holy  One.  The  other  had  no  boyhood  among  the 
sheep,  or  refugee  experience  in  dens  and  caves  of  the  earth. 
From  the  first  he  had  every  princely  advantage ;  he  ac- 
quired every  accomplishment  of  science  and  letters ;  and, 
gifted  with  extraordinary  powers  of  observation,  he  knew 
human  character  and  life  thoroughly,  and  could  describe 
what  he  knew  with  wonderful  terseness  and  point,  his 
spirit  also  being  enlightened  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.  It 
is  true  that  Solomon  himself  sinned  against  moral  integrity, 
and  the  wise  man  played  the  fool.  Probably  he  wrote 
this  book  before  his  fall;  but  even  if  it  were  not  so, 
David's  sin  did  not  disable  him  from  writing  psalms, — 
rather  was  over-ruled  to  make  the  Psalter  more  complete 
in  its  adaptation  to  human  want ;  and  Solomon's  sin,  espe- 

*  Dr.  James  Hamilton. 


THE  PROVERBS.  2G9 

cially  if  it  were  repented  of,  could  not  disable  him  from 
writing  of  morals  and  wisdom.  One  thing  is  well  worthy 
of  remark,  that  not  a  line  from  Solomon's  pen  palliates 
Solomon's  faults.  On  the  contrary,  he  is  the  most  vehe- 
ment of  all  the  sacred  moralists  against  those  things  by 
which  he  was  himself  ensnared. 

The  Proverbs  of  Solomon  are  in  three  divisions  : — 

Nine  chapters,  i.-ix. — Addressed  chiefly  to  the  young. 

Fifteen  do.,  x.-xxiv. — More  various,  and  addressed  to  all 
ages  and  ranks. 

Five  do.,  xxv.-xxix. — A  later  collection  made  by  Scribes 
under  the  orders  of  King  Hezekiak,  from  extant 
records  of  the  wisdom  of  Solomon. 

All  these  are  characteristic  of  the  mind  and  times  of 
that  great  monarch.  They  have  his  piercing  wit,  and  all 
that  lofty  esteem  of  wisdom  which  he  evinced  from  his 
childhood.  They  deal  with  the  dignity  and  duty  of  a  king ; 
expose  the  perils  of  flattery,  luxury,  and  pride ;  and  abound 
in  allusions  to  nature,  to  the  habits  of  the  lower  animals, 
and  to  the  lessons  of  human  experience,  such  as  we  might 
expect  from  a  famous  naturalist,  and  from  the  most  large- 
minded  man  that  the  Hebrew  race  produced  down  to  the 
Christian  era. 

There  are  added  two  appendices. 

The  words  of  Agur  fill  the  thirtieth  chapter.  They  are 
entitled  his  "  prophecy,"  or  rather  burden,  or  weighty  de- 
liverance. Of  this  sage  nothing  whatever  is  known.  The 
fragment  is  full  of  those  enigmatical,  almost  paradoxical, 
sayings,  and  religious  riddles,  so  congenial  to  the  eastern 
mind. 


270  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

The  thirty-first  chapter  contains  the  words  of  Lemuel 
the  king,  probably  an  Arab  prince.  It  is  an  oracle  which 
his  mother  taught  him.  It  contains  good  advice  for  a  king, 
and  the  description  of  a  virtuous  woman  at  the  head  of  her 
household.  In  style  it  is  scarcely  proverbial,  and  has  no 
antithesis ;  but  the  latter  part  of  it  has  the  acrostic  peculi- 
arity which  necessarily  escapes  the  English  reader.  The 
verses,  from  the  tenth  downwards,  begin  with  the  succes- 
sive letters  of  the  Hebrew  alphabet  in  regular  order. 

From  the  miscellaneous  nature  of  its  contents,  it  is  im- 
possible to  give  a  thoroughly  comprehensive  synopsis  of 
this  book ;  but  we  may  gather  into  groups  the  warnings 
it  delivers  against  prominent  evils,  which,  if  they  prevailed 
in  Solomon's  time,  are  only  too  frequent  and  familiar 
still 

I.  Filial  Impiety. — Eefer  to  Chaps,  i.  8,  9 ;  vi.  20,  21 ; 
xiii.  1;  xv.  20;  xix.  26;  xx.  20;  xxiii.  22;  xxviii.  24; 
xxx.  17. 

In  the  law  of  the  Ten  Words  delivered  from  Mount 
Sinai,  the  obligation  to  honour  parents  was  placed  first 
after  duty  to  God.  It  underlay  all  morality  in  Israel.  It 
underlies  all  morality  still. 

Solomon  seems  to  have  been  greatly  impressed  with 
this.  He  had  himself  been  dutiful,  both  to  his  father 
David  and  to  his  mother  Bathsheba :  but  he  had  seen 
heavy  woes  on  his  father's  house  through  the  insubordina- 
tion of  sons.  Amnon,  Absalom,  and  Adonijah  had  all 
come  to  a  bad  end,  and  caused  their  father  David  sorrow 
and  shame.  Probably,  too,  Solomon  had  misgivings  in  re- 
gard to  his  own  son  Behoboam,  the  heir-apparent,  who 


TEE  PROVERBS.  271 

neither  inherited  his  father's  discretion,  nor  observed  his 
counsels. 

When  St.  Paul  describes  the  shocking  depravity  of  the 
heathen  world  in  the  first  century,  he  lays  stress  on  the 
circumstance  that  men  were  "disobedient  to  parents."*  He 
mentions  the  same  evil  as  destined  to  characterise  the 
perilous  times  in  the  last  days.-f  Yet  the  heathen,  at 
their  best,  held  filial  piety  as  a  virtue  in  high  esteem.  It 
has  always  been  so  reckoned,  even  to  excess,  among  the 
Chinese.  The  Greeks  and  Romans  called  iEneas  "the 
pious,"  and  held  him  in  honourable  remembrance  because 
he  bore  his  father  Anchises  on  his  shoulders  from  the 
flames  of  Troy.  Many  instances  might  easily  be  cited,  to 
prove  that  love  of  parents  stood  in  honour  next  to  love  of 
country.  And  it  is  quite  in  keeping  with  this,  that  our 
greatest  poet  excites  our  horror  of  filial  impiety,  as  shown 
in  the  fabled  days  of  King  Lear,  who  was  a  heathen,  and 
apostrophised  the  gods. — 

u  Ingratitude  !  thou  marble-hearted  fiend, 
More  hideous  when  thou  show'st  thee  in  a  child, 
Than  the  sea  monster  ! 

Sharper  than  a  serpent's  tooth  it  is, 
To  iiave  a  thankless  child." 

Holy  Scripture  recognises  the  natural  affection,  and 
strengthens  it  by  the  religious  sense  of  duty.  It  bids 
children  "  obey  parents  in  the  Lord,  for  this  is  right."  At 
the  same  time  it  admonishes  parents  to  justify  and 
strengthen  their  claims  upon  their  children,  by  kind  treat- 
ment, and  godly  upbringing  in  Christ.| 

*  Rom.  i.  30.  f  2  Tim.  iii.  2. 

t  Eph.  vi.  1-4. 


272  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

II  Evil  Company.— -Refer  to  Chaps,  i.  10-19 ;  iv.  14-19  ; 
xiii.  20 ;  xxiv.  1,  2 ;  xxix.  24. 

This  class  of  admonitions  has  great  urgency  for  young 
people.  As  we  grow  old,  we  become  more  reserved,  per- 
haps suspicious ;  but  youth,  with  its  small  experience  and 
its  strong  desire  for  companionship,  is  in  great  danger  of 
being  enticed  by  unworthy  associates,  and  of  being  injuri- 
ously influenced  by  them.  My  son!  consent  thou  not. 
It  matters  not  to  the  cattle  of  the  field,  what  company  they 
keep  in  grazing  the  meadow  for  a  few  short  years ;  but  it 
matters  much  to  thee,  what  associates  are  permitted  to 
affect  thy  character  for  time  and  for  eternity.  Respect 
thyself,  and  so  fear  God,  that  thou  canst  have  no  com- 
panions who  do  not  also  fear  Him.  The  heathen  were  not 
unaware  of  the  danger  of  ill-companionship;  for  it  is  a 
heathen  poet  whom  St.  Paul  quotes,  when  he  writes  to  the 
Corinthians — "  Be  not  deceived ;  evil  communications  cor- 
rupt good  manners."  The  Hebrew  poet  says  more  expli- 
citly— "He  that  walketh  with  wise  men  shall  be  wise 
but  a  companion  of  fools  shall  be  destroyed." 

III.  Licentiousness. — Refer  to  Chaps,  ii.  16-19 ;  v.  3-20 ; 
vi.  23-35;  vii.  6-2,  ;  xxii.  14;  xxiii.  27,  28.  These  pas- 
sages we  cannot  dilate  upon ;  but  they  ought  to  be 
read  in  private  and  gravely  pondered.  Solomon  calls 
the  harlot  the  "  strange  woman/'  or  foreigner ;  for,  from 
the  days  of  P>alaam,  when,  at  his  foul  instigation,  Midianite 
women  beguiled  the  men  of  Israel  to  sin,  female  influence 
had  again  and  again  brought  the  immoral  festivals  and 
orgies  of  the  heathen  into  Palestine ;  and  it  was  by  foreign 
wives  and  concubines  that  the  wise  king  himself  was  be- 


THE  PROVERBS.  273 

guiled  into  folly.  Alas  !  the  harlot  is  a  frequent  object  in 
our  streets,  and  presents  a  constant  danger  to  the  souls 
and  bodies  of  our  young  men,  which  they  cannot  quite 
escape  without  much  self-control,  vigilance,  and  prayer. 
These  shameless  women  are  in  part  foreign,  but  the  greater 
number  are  native,  including  some  of  the  fairest  daughters 
of  sweet  rural  parishes,  and  hopeful  pupils  of  Sunday 
Schools.  jSTo  doubt,  most  of  them  were  first  entrapped  and 
beguiled  by  wicked  men  as  seducers ;  and  the  male  sex 
has  to  bear  the  heavier  share  of  criminality  in  this  whole 
matter ;  but  women  take  a  terrible  revenge  when  they  turn 
seducers,  and  draw  men  by  their  passions  secretly  and 
stealthily  down  to  disgrace,  disease,  and  death.  "She 
hath  cast  down  many  wounded ;  many  strong  men  have 
been  slain  by  her.  Her  house  is  the  way  to  hell,  going 
down  to  the  chambers  of  death." 

IV.  Untruth. — Eefer  to  Chaps,  vi.  16;  xi.  1-3;  xii.  13, 
14,  21,  22;  xiv.  25;  xix.  5-9;  xx.  17;  xxi.  6 ;  xxvi.  24-28. 

These  sayings  accord  with  that  line  sentence  in  the  Psalms, 
"The  righteous  Lord  loveth  righteousness;  His  counten- 
ance doth  behold  the  upright."  Nothing  can  be  more 
clearly  laid  down  than  this :  that  God  requires  truth  on 
the  lips,  and  justice  in  the  balance;  and  that  the  opposites, 
untruth  and  dishonesty,  God  abhors.  This  doctrine,  so 
clearly  stated,  needs  to  be  strongly  pressed  upon  con- 
science ; — for,  almost  more  than  the  breach  of  chastity,  the 
breach  of  integrity,  the  use  of  deceit  to  gain  a  worldly  ad- 
vantage, or  elude  a  worldly  loss,  has  left  a  sad  blot  on  the 
character  of  many  Christians,  as  well  as  Jews,  and  en- 
feebled the  moral  influence  of  the  Church.     On  the  young 

s 


274  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

Christian  community  of  the  Thessalonians  it  was  urged  by 
St  Paul,  "  that  no  man  go  beyond  and  defraud  his  brother 
in  any  matter ;  because  that  the  Lord  is  the  avenger  of  all 
such." 

V.  Sloth — Refer  to  Chaps,  vi.  6-11;  x.  4,  5 ;  xiii.  4; 
xv.  19;  xix.  24;  xxi.  25,  26;  xxiv.  30-34;  xxvi.  13-16. 

The  moralists  of  every  country  have  reproved  sloth  and 
commended  diligence,  but  Solomon  has  excelled  them  alL 
He  upbraids  the  sluggard  with  his  folly,  bidding  him  learn 
at  the  busy  ant-hill,  and  shows  him  the  mischiefs  that  he 
incurs — disappointment,  decay,  and  poverty.  "  Drowsiness 
shall  clothe  a  man  with  rags." 

Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  calls  the  slothful  servant,  who 
hid  his  masters  money  when  he  should  have  traded  with 
it,  a  "  wicked  and  slothful  servant."  St.  Paul  is  emphatic 
on  diligence,  alike  in  the  outer  and  the  inner  life.  The 
Eoman  Christians  he  exhorts  to  be  "  not  slothful  in  busi- 
ness." To  the  Thessalonians  he  writes  very  plainly- 
"  When  we  were  with  you,  this  we  commanded  yon,  that 
if  any  would  not  work,  neither  should  he  eat.  For  we 
hear  that  there  are  some  which  walk  among  you  disorderly, 
working  not  at  all,  but  are  busybodies.  Now,  them  that 
are  such,  we  command  and  exhort  by  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  that  with  quietness  they  work  and  eat  their  own 
bread."  In  regard  to  spiritual  life,  the  apostle  exhorted 
the  same  church  "  not  to  sleep  as  do  others,  but  watch  and 
be  sober."  There  is  no  other  way  in  which  we  can  excel. 
If  we  would  pray  to  purpose,  we  must  remember  and  be- 
lieve that  God  is  "  a  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  seek 
Him."    If  we  would  profit  in  the  word,  we  must  "  hearken 


THE  PROVERBS.  275 

diligently "  to  God,  that  we  may  eat  good,  and  that  our 
souls  may  delight  in  fatness.  If  we  would  have  inward 
happiness,  we  must  "show  diligence  in  our  work  and 
labour  of  love  to  the  full  assurance  of  hope  unto  the  end, 
and  be  not  slothful."  If  we  would  acquire  and  increase 
the  various  qualities  of  a  holy  character,  we  must  give  all 
diligence  to  add  to  our  faith,  virtue,  then  knowledge, 
temperance,  patience,  godliness,  brotherly-kindness,  and 
charity.* 

VI.  Intemperance. — Refer  to  Chaps,  xx.   1 ;  xxiii.  1-3, 
29-35 ;  xxxi.  4-6. 

Self-indulgence  in  what  are  called  "pleasures  of  the  table,' 
is  often  the  secret  of  the  dulness  of  spiritual  apprehension 
and  incapacity  of  sacred  emotion,  of  which  many  complain. 
They  pray  for  a  better  state  of  mind,  but  their  prayers 
would  speed  much  better  if  joined  with  a  little  fasting.  A 
man  whose  "  god  is  his  belly,"  cannot  be  a  friend  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ ;  and  without  going  to  such  an  extreme, 
all  indulgence  in  that  direction,  all  animal  excess,  inter- 
feres with  the  power  of  the  Gospel  over  our  hearts.  This 
is  equally  true  in  all  conditions  of  life,  whether  you  eat 
greedily  out  of  an  earthen  dish  on  a  deal  table,  or  dine  off 
gold  plate  with  rulers  and  princes.  Surfeiting  dulls  the 
human  spirit,  resists  the  operation  of  the  Divine  Spirit, 
and  consumes  in  the  most  selfish  way  large  sums  that 
might  be  of  inestimable  service  in  clothing  the  naked 
feeding  the  hungry,  and  furthering  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 

As  to  excess  in  wine  and  strong  drink,  no  words  can 
express  the  havoc  that  it  works — physical,  moral,  spiii- 

*  2  Tet.  i.  5-3. 


270  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

tual.  It  quenches  the  spirit,  debases  the  soul,  impedes 
the  Gospel,  impoverishes  the  family,  and,  in  all  countries 
where  such  stimulants  are  largely  used,  enfeebles  and  de- 
stroys the  human  race.  Yet  multitudes  of  our  people 
seem  to  grow  up  with  no  notion  of  the  perilous  nature  of 
these  things,  and  with  no  adequate  horror  of  the  sins  and 
miseries  resulting  from  an  unguarded  use  of  them.  Boys 
and  girls  are  taught  to  sip  wine  and  strong  drink  as  good 
for  them,  and  strengthening  to  their  constitution.  "  The 
poor  man's  beer"  is  spoken  of  as  though  it  were  a  national 
glory,  instead  of  a  national  mischief;  placards  in  the 
streets  proclaim  it,  and  Parliament  rings  with  its  import- 
ance as  a  sort  of  British  Palladium  that  may  not  be 
touched ;  and  it  raises  a  ferment  of  support  in  its  favour 
that  you  cannot  obtain  for  any  effort  in  behalf  of  the  poor 
man's  salvation.  Young  gentlemen  toss  off  their  wine, 
glass  after  glass,  before  their  beards  are  grown  :  and,  by  a 
sort  of  infatuation,  everything  seems  to  be  done  to  throw 
men  off  their  guard,  and  make  drinking  frequent  and  fami- 
liar. Inow,  we  do  not  say  that  wine,  or  even  strong  drink, 
is  to  be  absolutely  forbidden ;  but  we  do  say  that  it  should 
always  be  regarded  as  a  perilous  tiling,  and  used  accord- 
ingly. We  hold  it  an  exaggeration,  and  in  part  an  in- 
justice, to  make  those  who  drink  reasonably  and  moder- 
ately, answerable  for  all  those  who  drink  unreasonably  and 
immoderately ;  but  we  maintain  that  a  Christian  should 
on  no  account  take  more  than  "a  little  wine  for  his 
stomach's  sake,"  and  that  he  should  never  relax  his  cir- 
cumspection, lest  a  love  of  wine  should  grow  on  himself, 
or  he  should  encourage  the  beginning  of  intemperance  in 
others.     Would  that  in  every  banqueting  chamber  there 


THE  PROVERBS. 


U<  i 


were — if  not  engraven  on  the  wall,  at  all  events  present  to 
the  minds  of  the  guests — King  Solomon's  terrible  descrip- 
tion of  brawls,  impurities,  exhaustion,  and  delirium,  all 
issuing  from  the  wine-cup  !  "  Who  hath  woe  ?  who  hath 
sorrow  ?  who  hath  contentions  ?  who  hath  babbling  ?  who 
hath  wounds  without  cause  ?  who  hath  redness  of  eyes  ? 
They  that  tarry  long  at  the  wine."  And  with  what  in- 
sanity does  the  wine-bibber  return  to  the  very  thing  that 
hurt  him!     "When  shall  I  awake?     I  will  seek  it  yet 


VII.  Contention. — Refer  to  Chaps,  iii.  30;  x.  12;  xii. 
13;  xiii.  10;  xv.  1,  2,  4,  18;  xvi.  27,  28;  xviii.  G-8;  xxi. 
9,  19;  xxvi.  17-22;  xxviii.  25;  xxix.  22;  xxx.  33. 

This  teaching  well  becomes  the  wise  man,  and  prepares 
for  the  instruction  of  the  Wiser  and  Greater  than  Solomon, 
who  affirmed  the  blessedness  of  the  meek,  and,  Himself 
meek  and  lowly  in  heart,  reproved  all  envy,  jealousy,  and 
"strife,  who  should  be  the  greatest."  In  His  days  the 
house  of  Israel  was  divided  into  sects,  bitterly  opposing 
each  other.  Alas  !  the  Church  has  not  taken  warning,  but 
has  fallen  into  the  same  confusion.  But  God  descends  not 
into  the  angry  disputes  of  men.  The  Holy  Spirit  as  a 
dove  shuns  the  stormy  wind  and  tempest,  and  abides  in 
quiet  spots  with  lowly  hearts.  Both  in  private  and  in 
public  life,  let  us  follow  the  things  that  make  for  peace. 
It  is  better  to  suffer  wrong  than  give  any  encouragement 
to  "  debates,  envyings,  wraths,  strifes,  back-bitings,  whis- 
perings, swellings,  or  tumults."  *  It  is  far  better  to  give 
the  soft  answer  that  turns  away  wrath,  than  to  gain  any 

*  2  Cor.  xii.  20. 


278  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

amount  of  6clat  by  the  biting  wit  and  sharp  retort  that 
stirs  up  anger. 

Such  are  the  warnings  in  the  Book  of  Proverbs.  When 
we  inquire  after  the  virtues  it  commends,  we  find  much  in 
favour  of  prudence,  contentment,  integrity,  and  cheerful- 
ness. Above  all,  and  inclusive  of  all,  this  book,  especially 
in  its  first  part,  celebrates  the  praises  of  wisdom. 

The,  doctrine  of  Wisdom  is  delivered  in  Chaps,  i.  20-iv. 
13;  and  in  Chaps,  viii.  1-ix.  12.  The  fourth  chapter 
contains  instructions  which  Solomon  had  derived  from  his 
father  David.  That  most  active-minded  monarch  not  only 
laid  up  materials  for  Solomon's  temple,  but  provided  some 
of  the  deepest  and  clearest  thoughts  that  Solomon  wrought 
into  his  Book  of  Proverbs. 

The  wisdom  spoken  of  comes  from  above,  and  regulates 
the  moral  tone  and  government  of  life.  It  is  vividly  per- 
sonified. "Wisdom  stretches  out  her  hands,  cries  aloud, 
confers  gifts,  utters  warnings  and  promises — has  ways 
which  are  pleasantness,  and  paths  which  are  peace  In 
New  Testament  language,  Christ  is  the  Wisdom  of  God. 
He  is,  of  God,  made  to  us  Wisdom,  as  well  as  Piighteous- 
ness.  The  Christless  are  the  foolish.  The  Christ-possess- 
ing and  Christ-following  are  the  wise.  In  the  eighth 
chapter  of  Proverbs,  the  personification  of  Wisdom  is  so 
lofty  as  to  suggest  to  Christian  minds,  without  any  strain 
or  difficulty,  the  Logos,  who  was  in  the  beginning  with 
God,  and  was  God,  and  by  whom  all  things  were  made* 
How  much  of  Christ  the  writer  of  Proverbs  descried,  we 
know  not ;  but  the  inspiring  Spirit  so  guided  him  that  he 

*  John  i.  1-3. 


THE  PROVERBS.  279 

set  forth  an  ideal  of  Wisdom  which  cannot  be  satisfied 
short  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ — the  personal  Word,  in 
whom  "are  hid  all  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge," 
and  whose  Gospel  of  grace  and  truth,  wherever  received 
and  obeyed,  causes  this  saying  to  be  fulfilled  in  His  dis- 
ciples— "Wisdom  is  justified  of  her  children." 

The  wise  and  foolish  are  represented  as  guests  in  very 
different  houses.  Wisdom  has  builded  a  house,  furnished 
her  table,  and  sent  out  her  invitation — "  Come,  eat  of  my 
bread,  and  drink  of  the  wine  which  I  have  minMed."  It 
is  the  feast  of  salvation,  and  of  peace  in  believing ;  it  is 
the  tasting  of  "  love  which  is  better  than  wine,"  in  Church 
fellowship  with  Christ.  But  Folly  also  has  a  house,  into 
which  she  calls  those  who  pass  by.  She  tells  them  that 
"  stolen  waters  are  sweet,  and  bread  of  secresy  is  pleasant." 
This  is  the  corrupt  Church,  the  "mother  of  abominations." 
She  is  "  loud  and  stubborn."  Some  of  the  simple  ones  she 
beguiles  with  wheedling  words ;  and  the  scruples  of  others 
she  overcomes  with  bold  assertions.  Degenerate  Israel,  or 
Judah,  was  the  shameless  harlot  of  Old  Testament  pro- 
phecy, in  contrast  with  faithful  Israel,  or  Judah,  betrothed 
to  Jehovah.  In  like  manner,  the  faithful  Church  is  the 
pure  woman  of  the  present  dispensation,  in  process  of 
adornment  for  her  Husband :  but  the  Church,  unfaithful 
and  idolatrous,  is  the  harlot,  whose  bed  is  decked  with  de- 
lusions, and  whose  cup  is  full  of  besotting  errors  and  cruel 
enmity  to  the  saints.  Alas !  how  many  simple  ones  are 
following  after  her,  and  turning  in  to  her !  When  the 
Harlot,  clad  in  her  Babylonish  garments,  is  even  now 
rocking  to  and  fro  on  the  Beast  or  earth-power  that  has 
carried  her  so  long,  infatuated  Englishmen  and  English- 


230  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

women  are  apologising  for  her,  then  admiring  her,  imita- 
ting her  garments,  by-and-bye  drinking  of  her  cup  !  When 
we  hear  of  one  departing  into  that  Eoman  apostasy,  we 
cannot  help  thinking  of  those  words  of  Solomon — "He 
goeth  after  her  straightway,  as  an  ox  goeth  to  the  slaugh- 
ter, or  as  a  fool  to  the  correction  of  the  stocks,  till  a  dart 
strike  through  his  liver;  as  a  bird  hasteth  to  the  snare, 
and  knoweth  not  that  it  is  for  his  life." 

"Wisdom  remonstrates  with  the  simple,  the  scorners,  and 
the  fools.  The  first  love  their  simplicity ;  give  no  heed  to 
warnings;  make  no  provision  for  eternity;  and  neglect 
knowledge.  The  second,  in  a  scoffing  spirit,  deride  know- 
ledge. The  third,  more  guilty  still,  hate  knowledge,  for  it 
has  its  beginning  in  the  fear  of  God ;  and  the  fools  say  in 
their  hearts,  "  !STo  God  ! "  But  Wisdom  still  "  cries  in  the 
chief  place  of  concourse,  in  the  opening  of  the  gates." 
Christ  utters  His  voice  for  salvation  freely.  WTisdom  said, 
"  Turn  you  at  my  reproof."  Jesus  Christ  said,  "  Eepent. — 
Excej^t  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish."  Wisdom 
said,  "  Behold,  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  unto  you."  * 
"  In  the  last  day,  that  great  day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood 
and  cried,  saying,  If  any  man  thirst  let  him  come  unto  me, 
and  drink. — This  spake  He  of  the  Spirit,  which  they  that 
believe  on  Him  should  receive."*!" 

*  Prov.  i.  23.  +  John  vii.  37-39. 


ECCLESIASTES. 

The  proper  title  of  this  book  is  "  The  Words  of  Koheleth, 
the  son  of  David,  King  in  Jerusalem."  Koheleth  was 
translated  into  Greek,  Ecclesiastes — freely  rendered  in 
English  "  The  Preacher."  The  words  of  the  book  are  sup- 
posed to  be  first  spoken,  afterwards  written  down.  They 
form  not  a  soliloquy,  but  a  monologue  addressed  to  an 
audience,  no  comment  or  reply  being  heard,  but  the 
speaker  throughout  pouring  forth  his  own  experiences, 
observations,  and  reasonings,  and  revealing  the  moods  and 
perplexities  of  his  own  mind. 

The  title  Koheleth,  though  applied  to  a  king,  is  a  femi- 
nine form.  This  may  be  a  mode  of  expressing  Wisdom, 
which  is  also  feminine ;  or  it  may  be  in  accordance  with 
the  custom  of  naming  persons  of  distinction  after  the 
function  they  fulfil.  Thus  Khaliph,  the  title  given  to  the 
successors  of  Mahomet,  is  properly  a  feminine  noun  in 
Arabic,  denoting  succession. 

"Koheleth,  the  son  of  David,  King  in  Jerusalem,"  is 
evidently  meant  to  be  Solomon :  yet  it  is  much  doubted 
whether  Solomon  himself  wrote  this  book.     Reasoning  on 


282  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

various  internal  evidences,  including  the  use  of  Chaldaic 
terms  and  turns  of  expression,  many  scholars  assign  to 
Ecclesiastes  a  date  after  the  Babylonish  captivity,  and 
suppose  that  the  sage  who  wrote  it  put  his  monologue  into 
the  mouth  of  King  Solomon,  as  appropriate  to  his  experi- 
ence ;  just  as  another  unknown  writer  puts  words  into  the 
mouth  of  Job,  or  as  Milton  puts  them  into  the  mouth  of 
Adam.  It  is  so  far  in  favour  of  this  view,  that  Ecclesiastes 
does  not  stand  in  the  Hebrew  Canon  between  Proverbs 
and  Canticles,  as  in  our  Bibles,  but  has  a  place,  apart  from 
these,  between  Lamentations  and  Esther.  And  it  is  only 
fair  to  say  that  the  theory  of  a  late  origin  for  this  book  is 
held,  not  merely  by  rationalistic  critics,  but  by  some  of  the 
most  reverential  scholars  of  the  Old  Testament  in  Great 
Britain  as  well  as  Germany.*  Eor  our  own  part,  we  think 
their  grounds  too  weak  to  sustain  their  conclusion ;  and 
we  cleave  to  the  old  view  of  a  real  Solomonic  authorship. 
The  foreign  words  and  phrases  may  surely  be  accounted 
for  by  Solomon's  knowledge  of  Eastern  languages  and 
dialects,  through  his  extensive  commerce,  through  the 
embassies  that  visited  him  from  many  countries,  or 
through  the  heathen  ladies  of  his  Court.  A  few  expres- 
sions that  are  thought  to  imply  a  late  authorship  may 
perhaps  be  touches  from  the  pen  of  a  late  editor.  But  we 
find  it  very  difficult  to  believe  that  an  anonymous  writer, 
composing  this  book  in  or  near  the  times  of  Ezra,  and 
ascribing  it  to  Solomon,  could  have  obtained  its  admission 
into  the  sacred  canon  on  an  equal  footing  with  those  two 
books  which  bear  Solomon's  name.  In  such  a  case  there 
would  surely  be  some  indication  on  the  book  itself,  that  it 

*  See  Professor  Weir,  in  Bible  Dictionary,  Art.  Eccles. 


ECCLESIASTES.  283 

was  to  be  read  only  as  a  conjecture  of  what  Solomon 
might  or  should  have  said,  much  as  a  poet  of  our  own  has 
written  speeches  in  blank  verse  for  a  great  Judge  of  Israel 
in  the  Samson  Agonistes.  Indeed,  this  book  transcends 
the  power  of  personation  and  fictitious  conjecture.  Its 
whole  tone  harmonises  too  perfectly  with  what  must  have 
been  Solomon's  experience  and  reflection  toward  the  end 
of  his  reign,  to  be  the  production  of  any  one  but  himself. 

The  interpretation  of  Ecclesiastes  is  not  easy.  Com- 
mentators cannot  agree  on  its  theme,  its  object,  or  the 
scope  of  its  discussion.  It  appears  to  us  that  the  key  to 
the  book  is  to  be  found  at  the  end,  "  Let  us  hear  the  con- 
clusion of  the  whole  matter :  fear  God,  and  keep  His  com- 
mandments :  for  this  is  the  whole  of  man."  From  the 
conclusion,  we  perceive  what  the  matter  is.  From  the 
solution,  we  infer  the  problem  that  is  solved.  What  we 
have  before  us  is  the  quest  of  good — the  search  of  a 
Hebrew  mind  for  *  the  whole  of  man,"  his  highest  reach 
and  greatest  bliss — to  %u\av  of  the  Greeks — the  summum 
honum  of  the  Latins.  To  many  men  this  search  has  been 
like  the  "  Quest  of  the  Holy  Grail,"  in  which  they  "  follow 
wandering  fires,  lost  in  the  quagmire."  The  Royal  Preacher 
escapes  the  quagmire,  but  he  leads  on  through  strange  and 
weary  questionings,  and  much  bitterness  over  worldly 
pleasures  and  ambitions,  before  he  completes  the  quest, 
and  fixes  on  the  chief  end  of  man. 

In  the  inquiry,  three  conditions  are  observed — 

1.  The  question  relates  to  " the  whole  of  man"     There 

is  no  mention  of  Divine  Grace,  or  Salvation,  or  heavenly 

things.     The  discussion  does  not  relate  to  an  Israelite,  as 

the  member  of  a  holy  nation,  or  to  a  Christian,  as  a  mem- 


28-4  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES, 

ber  of  the  Church.     What  is  sought  is  the  best  condition 
of  man  as  man,  not  as  saint,  or  heir  of  God. 

2.  The  sphere  of  the  inquiry  is  strictly  the  sphere  of 
man's  life  "under  the  sun."  No  account  is  taken  of 
heavenly  places,  or  of  the  New  Jerusalem. 

3.  The  discussion  is  conducted,  and  the  decision  reached, 
in  view  of  judgment  to  come.  This,  which  is  a  menace  to 
the  evil,  and  a  thought  of  joy  and  comfort  to  the  righteous, 
terminates  the  whole  vista  under  the  sun.  Koheleth 
speaks  of  nothing  beyond  the  Judgment.  But  this  termi- 
nus he  keeps  always  before  the  mind ;  and  with  this  he 
concludes — "  For  God  shall  bring  every  work  into  judg- 
ment, with  every  secret  thing,  whether  it  be  good  or 
whether  it  be  evil."*  Quarles,  in  his  curious  paraphrase  of 
this  book,  called  "  Solomon's  Eecantation,"  thus  renders 
the  last  verse — 

"  No  work  shall  pass  untried  ;  no  hand  hath  done 
What  shall  not  plead  at  heaven's  tribunal  throne  ; 
All  secrets,  good  and  bad,  attend  His  eye  ; 
His  eyes  behold  where  day  could  never  pry." 

When  we  come  to  consider  the  main  contents  of  the 
book,  we  find  it  occupied  with  successive  fits,  moods,  and 
exercises  of  the  speaker's  mind.  He  passes  through  a 
kind  of  labyrinth,  with  glimpses  of  comfort  here  and  there, 
as  air  and  light  shoot  down  at  intervals  into  some  tunnel 
underground ;  but  he  does  not  emerge  into  brightness  and 
clearness  of  spirit  till  the  very  end.  In  this,  as  well  as  in 
other  respects,  the  Book  of  Ecclesiastes  resembles  that  of 
Job.     Nothing  is  clear  till  the  conclusion ;  and  the  lesson 

*  See  Eccles.  iii.  17  ;  xi.  9  ;  xii.  14. 


ECCLESIASTES.  285 

for  us,  or  use  of  edifying,  is  to  be  found,  not  in  detached 
parts  of  it,  but  in  the  whole — the  complete  effect. 

From  the  nature  of  this  book,  it  follows  that  it  is 
various  as  the  moods  of  Solomon's  busy  and  capacious 
mind.  Xow  it  is  genial,  and  now  vexed  and  misanthropic, 
now  exceeding  sad,  and  now  witty  and  wise;  now  utterly 
bewildered,  and  now  philosophically  tranquil.  It  is  very 
difficult  to  analyse  the  book,  and  arrange  it  under  orderly 
divisions, — so  difficult,  that  many  have  denied  the  exis- 
tence of  any  consecutive  order,  and  have  described  the 
form  of  this  book  as  "  rough  and  dismembered." 

There  is,  however,  an  order,  wnich  may  be  expressed  as 
follows : — 

I.  Vanity  under  the  sun  proved  from  Solomon's  experi- 
ence.    This  occupies  Chapters  i.,  ii. 

The  preacher  starts  with  the  thought  of  this  world's 
monotony.  Generations  come  and  go— the  sun  rises  and 
sets — the  winds  blow  to  and  fro — the  rivers  run  into  the 
sea,  and  the  sea,  by  evaporation,  returns  to  the  fountains 
of  the  rivers.  It  is  all  a  weary-go-round :  we  have  nothing 
but  repetitions  and  the  shifting  about  of  old  materials : 
and  "there  is  no  new  thing  under  the  sun." 

1.  Koheleth  made  proof  of  study.  Chap.  i.  12-18.  The 
king  had  turned  his  active  and  penetrating  intellect  to 
examine  the  actions  and  lives  of  men  under  the  sun ;  he 
meditated  and  reasoned  deeply,  and  "  had  great  experience 
of  wisdom  and  knowledge."  But  the  result  of  his  study 
was  no  rest  or  satisfaction — "For  in  much  wisdom  is 
much  grief;  and  he  that  increaseth  knowledge  inciea^ctk 
sorrow." 


286  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

2.  Koheleth  made  proof  of  mirth  and  pleasure.  Chap, 
ii.  1-11.  Disappointed  in  study,  the  king  tried  frivolity. 
He  would  indulge  his  magnificent  tastes  in  banquets, 
splendid  grounds,  and  all  the  arts  of  luxury — and  be  a 
"  merry  monarch."  But  it  was  a  sheer  failure.  Charles  the 
Second  might  enjoy  himself  as  a  merry  monarch,  for  he 
was  fit  for  nothing  better ;  but  the  great  spirit  of  Solomon 
felt  itself  mocked  and  befooled  by  mere  gaiety  and  mirth  : 
and  the  king,  far  from  being  made  happy,  fell  into  a  deeper 
melancholy.  The  laughter  was  mad,  and  the  pleasure  was 
vanity. 

3.  Koheleth  reflected  on  the  emptiness  of  fame,  and  the 
vexation  of  having  to  leave  unfinished  plans  to  his  suc- 
cessor. Chap.  ii.  12-26.  Solomon  had  the  noble  hunger 
of  great  minds  for  the  good  opinion  of  future  generations, 
yet  he  perceived  the  uncertainty  of  posthumous  fame. 
Worse  still,  he  could  not  expect  to  live  on,  after  death,  in 
a  wise  and  well-doing  son.  His  heir-apparent,  Eehoboam, 
was  the  subject  of  painful  misgivings  to  the  king.  Why 
should  he  rack  his  brains  to  plan  and  execute  great  works, 
only  to  leave  them  to  a  prince  who  could  not  appreciate 
or  continue  them  ?  "  Yea  I  hated  all  my  labour  which  I 
had  taken  under  the  sun  ;  because  I  should  leave  it  unto 
the  man  that  shall  be  after  me.  And  who  knoweth 
whether  he  shall  be  a  wise  man  or  a  fool  ?  yet  shall  he 
have  rule  over  all  my  labour  wherein  I  have  laboured,  and 
wherein  I  have  showed  myself  wise  under  the  sun.  This 
is  also  vanity." 

II.  Vanity  under  the  sun  proved  from  Solomon's  ob- 
servation.    This  occupies  Chaps,  iii.-viii.  15. 


ECCLESIASTES.  287 

In  this  division  of  the  book,  it  is  first  shown  that  man's 
happiness  under  the  sun  is  restricted  by  his  dependence 
on  times,  seasons,  and  circumstances.  He  has  no  power 
over  the  appointed  time,  and  can  do  nothing  but  what  the 
time  is  sent  for.  He  has  no  choice  but  to  weep  or  laugh, 
get  or  lose,  keep  silence  or  speak,  make  war  or  make 
peace,  according  as  the  time  is  ordained  of  God.  The 
divine  plan  is  doubtless  all  very  good,  but  it  is  beyond  the 
scope  of  man's  vision, — for  "  no  man  can  find  out  the  work 
that  God  maketh  from  the  beginning  to  the  end." 

Various  facts  of  frequent  occurrence  are  then  referred  to, 
as  perplexing  and  baffling  the  inquirer's  mind.  There  are 
many  oppressions  without  a  comforter,  and  many  evils  in 
social  and  civil  life  which  turn  it  into  a  "  sore  travail." 
Vanity  even  enters  the  house  of  God.  Some  who  appear 
there  are  rash  and  irreverent,  and  carelessly  make  vows 
which  they  never  pay.  In  the  world  around,  the  preacher 
sees  injustice,  violence,  and  avarice.  Even  those  who  are 
richly  provided  often  lack  the  capacity  of  enjoyment,  and 
are  less  happy  than  the  poor.  The  survey  embraces  the 
outward  fortunes  and  inward  characters  of  men,  the  con- 
fusions of  society,  and  the  disorders  that  arise  under  human 
government.  The  argument  always  is  that  man's  lot  is 
full  of  vanity,  and  that  there  is  nothing  better  than  a 
cheerful  enjoyment  of  what  is  assigned  to  us,  without  fret- 
fulness  or  impatience.  It  is  incorrect,  however,  to  charge 
Ecclesiastes  with  any  scepticism.  God's  purpose  is  always 
held  to  be  wise,  and  His  work  all  very  good. 

III.  Vanity  being  thus  exposed  from  experience  and  ob- 
servation, the  work  of  God  is  shown  to  go  forward  amidst 


288  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

human  labours,  obstructions,  and  perversities.  This  occu- 
pies Chaps,  viii.  16-xii.  7. 

The  wise  man  will  not  deny  the  existence  of  a  Divine 
Providence,  nor,  because  of  its  unfathomable  character, 
cease  to  play  his  proper  part  in  life.  Bather  he  will 
humbly  watch  the  development  of  God's  work  according 
to  His  purpose ;  and  will  follow  after  contentment  and  the 
best  employment  of  time.  Some  of  the  phrases  employed 
iu  this  part  of  the  book  have  an  Epicurean  sound ;  but 
this  is  corrected  by  the  plaintive  and  weary  tone  of  the 
discussion  throughout.  The  wise  man  cannot  say  with  the 
reckless  heathen — "  Eat  and  drink,  for  to-morrow  we  die : " 
but  he  says — Live  cheerfully,  cultivate  discretion,  and  in 
all  your  labours  and  enjoyments  keep  in  view  that  God 
will  bring  you  into  judgment. 

This  division  of  Ecclesiastes  closes  with  an  earnest 
appeal  to  the  young  to  remember  their  Creator,  and  a 
striking  picture  of  tremulous  old  age.  It  is  no  description 
of  the  godly,  who  ought  to  be  serene  in  spirit  to  the  last, 
and  fruitful  in  obedience.  "  The  righteous  shall  still  bring- 
forth  fruit  in  old  age, — to  show  that  the  Lord  is  upright."  * 
What  is  described  is  the  dreary  decay  of  one  who  in  youth 
would  "go  on  in  every  way  of  hrs  heart  and  after  every 
sight  of  his  eyes."  The  admonition  is,  so  to  use  the  morn- 
ing of  life  that  its  evening  may  be  not  sad  or  chagrined, 
but  calm  and  blessed, — not  the  end  of  joy,  but  the  thres- 
hold of  a  joy  that  lasts  for  evermore.  "  The  spirit  shall 
return  to  God  who  gave  it."  The  thought  is  fitted  to 
appal  those  who  are  debasing  their  spirits  by  sin,  or  en- 

*  Ps.  xcii.  12-15. 


ECCLESIASTES.  285 

feebling  and  wasting  them  by  frivolity  and  self-indulgence; 
but  it  may  well  comfort  and  sustain  all  those  who  seek  to 
glorify  God  in  their  spirits,  which  are  His.  While  the 
body,  which  is  also  His,  lies  in  the  dust,  awaiting  resurrec- 
tion, the  spirit  lives  with  God,  retains  its  consciousness, 
expands  its  forces,  and  tastes  new  delights  on  which  can 
never  be  written  Vanity  of  vanities  or  Vexation  of  spirit. 

IV.  The  Epilogue.  This,  which  is  contained  in  Chap, 
xii.  8-14,  summarises  the  whole  teaching  of  the  book. 

The  aim  of  Koheleth,  in  all  that  he  has  said,  has  been 
to  speak  "  acceptable  words,"  full  of  the  honey-sweetness 
of  Divine  truth — "upright  sayings,"  words  of  righteous- 
ness, with  power  to  pierce  the  soul.  This  is  characteristic 
of  all  wise  teaching.  It  has  a  sweetness  that  glides  into 
the  heart,  and  at  the  same  time  a  sharpness  that  penetrates 
the  conscience,  as  a  nail  fastened  in  a  sure  place.  Now, 
at  the  end,  speaking  to  a  son,  after  the  manner  of  Solomon 
in  the  Proverbs,  the  Preacher  exhorts  him  not  to  seek  his 
welfare  in  many  books,  for  literature  no  more  than  mirth 
can  constitute  man's  welfare,  or  supply  his  chief  good. 
"  Fear  God  and  keep  His  commandments."  A  conclusion 
quite  similar  to  that  of  Job  in  his  quest  after  wisdom.  He 
sought  for  it  in  the  mines  and  deep  places  of  the  earth ; 
and  the  conclusion  of  the  matter  he  found  to  be  this — 
"The  fear  of  the  Lord,  that  is  Wisdom;  and  to  depart 
from  evil  is  understanding."* 

This  was  the  height  of  the  Hebrew  "  Chokmah,"  or  phi 
losophy  of  wisdom  and  life.     As  David  is  the  great  poet, 

*  Job  xxviii. 

T 


290  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

so  is  Solomon  the  great  philosopher.  And  as  David's 
Psalms,  read  in  the  light  of  Christ  and  the  Gospel,  are  still 
at  the  height  of  sacred  poetry ;  so  Solomon's  teachings  and 
reflections,  read  in  the  same  light,  are  at  the  summit  of 
wisdom  still.  A  child-like  reverence  for  God,  including 
the  fear  of  displeasing  Him,  and  the  desire  to  obey  Him 
from  the  heart — this  is  right :  and  to  love  Him  with  all 
the  heart,  soul,  strength,  and  mi::d,  is  the  great  command- 
ment. 

This  book  has  more  peculiarity  than  almost  any  in  the 
Bible.  It  is  not  for  every  mind ;  and  the  mind  that  it 
suits  will  not  relish  it,  or  profit  by  it,  on  every  day.  It  is 
not  wholesome  for  peevish  spirits,  that  take  from  it  a 
certain  sanction  for  their  discontent.  The  men  who  may 
read  it  often,  and  who  can  most  thoroughly  enter  into  its 
peculiar  vein,  are  not  feebly  querulous  persons,  but  those 
who  observe  widely,  and  revolve  deeply,  and  feel  intensely 
the  maze  and  mystery  of  life.  It  was  finely  said  by  La- 
cordaire — "Weak  and  little  minds  do  not  discover  the 
emptiness  of  visible  things,  because  they  are  incapable  of 
sounding  them  to  the  bottom.  But  a  soul  whom  God  has 
drawn  nearer  to  the  Infinite,  very  soon  feels  the  narrow 
limits  within  which  it  is  pent ;  it  experiences  moments  of 
irrepressible  sadness,  the  cause  of  which  for  a  long  time 
remains  a  mystery.  In  reading  the  lives  of  the  saints,  Ave 
find  that  nearly  all  of  them  have  felt  that  sweet  melan- 
choly, of  which  the  ancients  said  that  there  was  no  genius 
without  it.  In  fact,  melancholy  is  inseparable  from  every 
mind  that  looks  below  the  surface,  and  every  heart  that 


ECCLESIASTES.  291 

feels  profoundly.  It  lias  "but  two  remedies — Death,  or 
God."  But  death  is  no  remedy.  There  is  but  one  cure 
for  a  soul  cast  down  and  disquieted,  it  is  to  "hope  in 
God." 

Many  Christians  say  that  they  get  little  satisfaction 
from  reading  Ecclesiastes.  No  wonder ;  for  the  book  was 
never  written  to  satisfy  an  Israelite,  much  less  a  Christian. 
It  has  throughout  a  tossing  of  mind,  and  uneasiness  of 
tone ;  and,  though  it  may  be  of  use  in  awakening  spiritual 
sensibilities,  it  cannot  meet  deep  spiritual  wants.  Solo- 
mon cannot  give  us  rest.  We  must  go  to  the  Greater  than 
Solomon,  who  does  not  so  much  descant  on  vexation  of 
spirit  as  preach  to  us  blessedness,  and  welcome  us  to  sal- 
vation and  peace.  Solomon  tells  of  the  vanity  under  the 
sun,  and  we  feel  his  words  to  be  painfully  true:  but  the 
Lord  Jesus  tells  us  of  a  good  part  that  shall  not  be  taken 
away,  and  which  never  palls  on  those  who  have  once 
learned  to  value  it;  and  He  raises  us  in  union  with  Him- 
self above  this  sphere  of  earthly  things  under  the  sun,  and 
puts  us  in  heavenly  places,  as  the  heirs  of  an  incorruptible 
aud  unfading  inheritance.  In  the  bounded  sphere  of  life 
under  the  sun,  men  will  never  go  further  than  remember 
their  Creator,  and  look  for  death  and  judgment,  and  give 
some  heed  to  the  awfulness  of  God,  and  His  demands  on 
them  as  creatures.  But  they  who  are  adopted  through 
Christ,  quickened  and  raised  up  with  Him,  know  the 
rather,  and  have  His  commandments  written  on  their 
hearts,  and  set  their  mind  on  things  above,  not  on  things 
on  the  earth.  This  is  the  secret  of  victory  over,  the  world, 
while  we  dwell  in  it, — "  even  our  faith."     This  is  the  rest 


292  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

of  the  spirit  amidst  ever  so  many  vanities  and  vexations. 
— "Our  citizenship  is  in  heaven;  from  whence  also  we 
look  for  the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  shall 
change  our  body  of  humiliation,  that  it  may  be  fashioned 
like  unto  the  body  of  His  glory."  * 
*  PhiL  Hi.  20,  21. 


SONG  OF  SOLOMON*. 

The  Bible  has  been  described  as  a  stately  Mansion,  or 
Palace  of  Truth.  If  Genesis  is  the  sublime  vestibule,  and 
the  historical  Books  are  so  many  halls  and  galleries  hung 
with  ancient  portraits ;  if  Job  and  Ecclesiastes  are  lofty 
chambers  for  quiet  thought,  and  the  Psalter  is  the  music- 
room,  and  Proverbs  form  the  business-room  of  the  Mansion, 
then  the  Song  of  Solomon  is  the  conservatory,  full  of 
sweet  flowers  and  eastern  plants  of  aromatic  odour. 

Yet  the  beauty  of  this  book  has  not  gained  for  it  exemp- 
tion from  the  severe  criticism  to  which  all  the  holy 
writings  have  been  subjected.  The  ascription  of  the 
authorship  to  Solomon  has  been  disputed,  but  on  grounds 
so  frivolous,  that  they  need  not  seriously  detain  us.  A 
question  has  also  arisen  regarding  the  continuity  of  the 
poem.  Some  critics  regard  it  as  a  collection  of  sonnets  or 
short  idylls.  It  has  even  been  alleged,  that  it  consists  of 
so  many  as  seventeen  or  eighteen  different  songs  or  poeti- 
cal fragments  strung  together.  We  shall  not  go  further 
into  this  question,  because  the  best  scholars,  almost  with- 
out exception,  agree  with  the  common  belief  that  the 
poem  is  one  continuous  song,  pervaded  throughout  by  a 
unity  of  meaning  and  design. 


294  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

If  it  be  one  poem,  is  it  dramatic  ?  Our  answer  is,  No ; 
not  in  any  proper  sense  of  that  term.  It  introduces 
various  persons  or  characters,  it  has  changing  scenes  and 
dialogue,  but  it  has  no  dramatic  plot,  and  no  march  of 
events  toward  an  issue  or  denouement.  It  is  not  a  drama 
even  in  the  modified  sense  in  which  that  designation  may 
be  given  to  the  Book  of  Job.  It  is  a  poem  of  love  in 
Oriental  language  and  imagery,  with  rests,  and  pauses,  and 
varying  scenery  and  conversation.  The  parts  are  grouped 
together,  rather  than  linked  by  a  very  definite  chain  of 
connective  thought.  But,  as  an  American  writer  has  well 
observed,  "  This  looser  method  of  arrangement  or  aggrega- 
tion, with  its  abrupt  transitions  and  sudden  changes  of 
scene,  is  no  less  graphic  and  impressive,  while  it  is  more 
in  harmony  with  the  Oriental  mind  and  style  of  composi- 
tion generally,  than  the  rigorous  external  and  formal  con- 
catenation which  the  more  logical  but  less  fervid  Indo- 
European  is  prone  to  demand."* 

The  chapters  are  arranged,  as  usual,  in  the  most  unskilful 
manner,  and  give  no  assistance  whatever  in  the  analysis  or 
interpretation  of  this  book.  We  find,  however,  in  the  text 
itself,  sufficient  indication  of  the  following  divisions: — 

(1.)  Chap.  i.  2-ii.  7. 

(2.)      „      ii.  8-iii.  5. 

(3.)      „      iii.  G-v.  1. 

(4.)      „      v.  2-vi.  9. 

(5.)      „      vi.  10-viii.  4. 

(6.)      „      viii.  5-viii.  14. 

More  important  even  than  the  question  of  arrangement 
is  that  of  the  principle  on  which  this  song  ought  to  be 

*  Dr.  Green  of  Princeton,  Notes  to  Zockler  on  the  Song. 


SONG  OF  SOLOMON.  205 

interpreted.  Is  it  a  mere  poem  of  human  love  and  mar- 
riage ?  Or  is  it  an  allegory  throughout  of  affection  in  a 
higher  sphere  ?  Or  is  it  to  be  explained  typically,  as  con- 
taining earthly  things,  and  by  these  foreshadowing  the 
heavenly  ? 

1.  The  merely  literal  and  erotic  interpretation  may  be 
dismissed  without  much  ceremony.  It  is  not  recom- 
mended to  us  by  the  circumstance  that  it  has  found  its 
chief  support  among  the  rationalists,  and  is  in  highest 
favour  with  those  minds  that  are  indisposed  to  what  is 
deeply  spiritual  It  has  no  sanction  whatever  from  anti- 
quity, Jewish  or  Christian,  and  it  entirely  fails  to  justify 
the  position  of  this  book  in  the  canon  of  Holy  Writ.  If 
the  poem  before  us  be  no  more  than  a  song  of  King  Solo- 
mon's admiration  and  passion  for  an  Eastern  beauty  of  his 
time,  it  is  difficult  to  see  what  better  right  it  has  to  be  in 
our  Bibles  than  the  odes  of  Anacreon,  Sappho,  or  Petrarch, 
or  how  it  can  be  more  profitable  to  the  reader  than  the 
play  of  Romeo  and  Juliet. 

2.  The  ancient  interpretation  is  undoubtedly  the  allego- 
rical. The  tents  of  Abraham  contained  an  allegory ;  Hagar 
and  Sarah  setting  forth,  as  St.  Paul  assured  the  Galatians, 
the  earthly  and  the  heavenly  Jerusalem.  It  is  no  wonder 
if,  in  the  palace  and  gardens  of  Solomon,  there  should  also 
be  an  allegory  of  the  relation  established  between  Jehovah 
and  His  chosen  Israel,  or  between  Christ  and  the  Church. 
In  the  present  case,  however,  the  allegory  is  supposed  to 
have  no  earthly  basis  at  all.  Nothing  is  spoken  of  the 
literal  Solomon.  Under  his  name  is  meant  the  great  King 
of  saints.  And  Shulamith  is  not  an  actual  personage 
whom  Solomon  loved,  but  a  designation  of  the  Church. 


296  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

In  support  of  this  theory  of  interpretation,  it  is  urged 
that — 

(1.)  It  best  accounts  for  the  position  of  this  book  in  the 
Old  Testament,  as  canonical.  The  circumstance  that  the 
name  of  God  does  not  occur  so  much  as  once  in  the  Song 
has  often  been  adverted  to,  as  casting  an  element  of  doubt 
on  its  sacred  character;  but  this  difficulty  quite  disappears 
when  the  poem  is  read  as  an  allegory  of  Divine  love.  The 
name  of  God  could  not  be  expressed  without  breaking  the 
allegory ;  but  the  thought  of  God  is  everywhere,  and  His 
love  is  the  highest  theme  of  the  Song. 

(2.)  Language  is  used  in  reference  to  the  Bride,  which 
can  scarcely  be  applied  to  any  actual  woman — princess  or 
shepherdess — but  which  may  easily  be  understood  as  ad- 
dressed to  the  "  Daughter  of  Zion,"  the  collective  people, 
or  Church  of  God.  Thus  we  can  scarcely  imagine  a  beau- 
tiful woman  compared  "to  a  company  of  horses  in  Pha- 
raoh's chariots,"  or  even  to  a  single  caparisoned  steed ;  but 
we  can  easily  understand  the  figure  as  applied  to  Israel, 
for  we  read  in  the  Prophets  that  God  "  led  them  through 
the  deep  as  an  horse  in  the  wilderness,  that  they  should 
not  stumble."  *  The  same  remark  may  be  made  in  regard 
to  the  description  of  the  neck  as  "  like  the  tower  of  David 
builded  for  an  armoury,"  or  of  the  appearance  of  Shulamith 
as  "  like  the  company  of  two  armies,  (Mahanaim)." 

(3.)  This  interpretation  harmonises  with  the  frequent 
language  of  the  Old  Testament  regarding  marriage  union 
between  Jehovah  and  Israel.  Even  in  the  Pentateuch,  the 
formula  to  express  Israel's  apostasy  is  that  they  "go  a 
whoring  after  other  gods."     Jehovah  is,  in   the   ancient 

*  Isaiah  lxiii.  13. 


SONG  OF  SOLOMON.  297 

Scriptures,  "a  jealous  God:"  i.e.,  an  injured  husband 
having  an  unfaithful  wife.  The  45th  Psalm,  a  song  of 
loves,  employs  the  language  of  mutual  affection  and  nup- 
tial joy  in  regard  to  the  Divine  Messiah  and  His  people. 
After  the  days  of  Solomon,  this  mode  of  speech  became 
even  still  more  common  with  the  sacred  writers ;  and  this 
may  fairly  enough  be  traced  to  Solomon's  Song.  The 
Prophets — especially  Hosea,  Isaiah,  and  Jeremiah — speak 
most  plainly  of  the  marriage  covenant  between  Jehovah 
and  Israel,  the  love  of  espousals,  and  the  guilt  involved  in 
apostasy  as  an  act  of  adultery  peculiarly  ungrateful  and 
offensive  to  the  God  of  Israel. 

(4.)  It  is  corroborated  still  further  by  the  language  of 
the  New  Testament  regarding  the  love  and  union  of  Christ 
and  the  Church.  He  is  the  Bridegroom  who  has  the 
Bride,  and  at  the  sound  of  whose  voice  John  the  Baptist, 
as  the  Bridegroom's  friend,  rejoiced.  He  is  the  Husband 
who  loved  the  Church,  and  gave  Himself  for  it*  It  is 
rather  remarkable,  however,  that  no  quotation  from  the 
Song  occurs  in  the  New  Testament. 

The  chief  objection  to  the  exclusively  allegorical  inter- 
pretation is  that  it  makes  way  for  caprices  and  ingenuities 
without  end,  and  is  apt  to  degenerate  into  mere  devout 
guess-work.  This  applies  alike  to  some  of  the  Protestant 
expositors,  who  treat  the  Song  as  a  poetical  compendium 
of  inward  Christian  experience,  and  to  those  Homan 
Catholic  divines  who  have  seen  in  Shulamith  the  blessed 
Virgin  Mary,  as  "  the  Bride  and  Mother  of  God." 

3.  The  typical  interpretation  seems  to  us,  on  the  whole, 
safest  and  best.     It  admits  a  literal  basis  for  the  Song, 

*  See  Matt.  ix.  15 ;  John  iii.  29  ;  Eph.  v.  25  32. 


298  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

while  it  refuses  to  be  content  with  a  literal  sense.  It  as- 
signs to  the  book  a  full  spiritual  significance,  but  saves  it 
from  fantastic  or  eccentric  meanings.  There  is  an  earthly 
theme — the  love  of  Solomon  and  Shulamith.  The  Song 
celebrates  a  pure  affection,  and  a  wedded  bliss.  But  it  has, 
at  the  same  time,  a  deeper  meaning  and  a  loftier  aim,  well 
entitling  the  poem  to  its  place  in  Holy  Scripture.  Typically 
it  suggests  and  depicts  the  love,  sacred  and  intense,  which 
unites  the  Lord  himself  to  the  people,  who  form,  in  inspired 
language,  His  "  Bride."  Solomon  is  here — and  then,  typi- 
cally, the  Greater  than  Solomon.  A  beautiful  Bride  is 
here — and  then,  typically,  Israel,  and  also  the  Church, 
adorned  as  a  Bride  for  her  Husband. 

The  poem  is  entitled  "  Song  of  Songs,"  par  excellence,  as 
in  the  parallel  expressions — heaven  of  heavens,  King  of 
kings,  holy  of  holies.  It  is  a  superlative  song,  in  which 
every  thing  is  at  its  best.  Gardens,  fountains,  flowers, 
fruits,  spices,  love,  beauty,  marriage,  the  joy  of  spring,  the 
song  of  birds,  these  are  in  many  songs ;  but  in  this  there 
is  a  profusion  of  excellence, — a  garden  of  nuts,  an  orchard 
of  pomegranates,  beds  of  spices,  a  mountain  of  myrrh,  a  hill 
of  frankincense,  flowers  the  most  admired,  beauty  the  most 
perfect,  the  Beloved  altogether  lovely,  the  Bride  all  fair 
and  undefiled,  the  love  strong  as  death,  the  marriage  a 
royal  marriage ;  every  thing  choice  and  incomparable. 

The  Beloved  is  Shelomo  or  Solomon,  the  prince  of  peace. 
He  is  the  King,  round  whose  palanquin  stand  sixty  armed 
heroes, — the  shepherd  who  feeds  his  flock  among  the 
lilies, — and  the  owner  of  a  fruitful  vineyard.  Above  all,  He 
is  one,  whose  voice  thrills  the  heart,  whose  approach  brings 


SOXG  OF  SOLOMON.  299 

joy  and  gladness,  whose  love  supplies  the  most  tender  con- 
solation, and  whose  person  combines  all  the  highest 
qualities  of  beauty  and  strength.  So  speaks  Shulamith  of 
her  Beloved  and  her  Friend. 

She,  on  the  other  hand,  is  the  seeker  and  finder  of  peace, 
(Shalom),  in  Shelomo.  At  the  beginning  of  the  Song,  she  is 
ill  at  ease,  black  with  exposure  to  the  scorching  sun,  forced 
to  work  in  vineyards  that  are  not  her  own,  harshly 
treated  by  her  kinsmen  after  the  flesh,  anxiously  inquir- 
ing after  the  Good  Shepherd  whom  she  loved.  None  of 
"  the  companions  "  can  supply  His  place.  But  soon  she 
finds  Him,  or  is  found  of  Him,  and  she  is  at  peace,  for  He 
sees  in  her  no  blackness ;  He  calls  her  His  love,  His  dove, 
His  undefiled. 

The  Bridegroom  is  described  by  the  Bride;  and  the 
Bride  in  turn  by  the  Bridegroom.  Their  delight  is  in  one 
another.  Absence  is  pain ;  reunion  is  intense  happiness. 
Each  finds  in  the  other  "love  better  than  wine."*  The 
height  of  the  joy  is  in  the  marriage.  The  day  of  espousals 
is  to  Solomon  the  day  of  the  gladness  of  his  heart.  And 
this  was  surely  in  the  prophet's  memory  when  he  wrote — 
"  As  the  bridegroom  rejoiceth  over  the  bride,  so  shall  thy 
God  rejoice  over  thee.""f*  The  designation  of  the  Bride  in 
the  Song,  as  the  Sister-Spouse,  of  itself  discourages  the 
literal  interpretation,  and  suggests  a  spiritual  meaning. 
Now  the  Sister-Spouse  is  fully  blessed  in  conscious  union 
with  the  King,  and  says,  "  My  Beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am 
His."     "  I  am  my  Beloved's,  and  His  desire  is  toward  me." 

Spiritual  enjoyment  of  the  most  intense  character  is 
easily  lost.     The  Bride  misses  her  Lord — is  it  in  a  dream  ■ 

*  Compare  chap.  i.  3,  4,  with  chap.  iv.  10.  +  Isa.  lxii.  5. 


300  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

— the  heart  waking  while  the  body  slept.  He  comes  to 
the  door,  and  shows  a  willingness  to  enter ;  but  she  delays 
to  admit  him.  When  she  does  rise  to  open  to  the  Beloved, 
she  is  too  late,  for  He  is  gone,  and  now  she  has  to  go  out 
into  the  street  on  those  dainty  feet  which  she  had  grudged 
to  put  upon  the  floor,  and  hasten  to  and  fro  inquiring 
diligently  after  Him.  It  is  well  with  her,  when,  and  only 
when  she  is  with  the  Lord,  resting  in  His  protection, 
trusting  His  loving-kindness,  going  up  out  of  the  wilder- 
ness leaning  on  His  arm,  or  dwelling  in  the  gardens, 
singing  of  His  goodness  and  His  beauty,  His  grace  and 
His  truth. 

Into  detailed  exposition,  it  does  not  accord  with  our 
plan  to  enter.  There  are  many  sweet  lessons  and  sug- 
gestions of  the  mind  of  Christ,  and  the  love  of  saints,  to 
be  gathered  from  a  minute  study  of  this  book ;  and  some 
preachers,  like  M'Cheyne  and  Krummacher,  have  turned 
select  passages  to  excellent  homiletic  use ;  but  great  cau- 
tion is  to  be  observed,  lest  a  cold  unimaginative  mind,  on 
the  one  hand,  should  so  dissect  this  glowing  oriental 
poetry  as  to  destroy  its  living  beauty,  nay,  should  even 
force  upon  it  an  indelicacy  from  which  the  original  is 
innocently  free,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  lest  an  over-active 
fancy  should,  by  insisting  on  a  separate  spiritual  meaning 
for  every  figure  of  speech,  every  allusion  to  natural  ob- 
jects, and  every  turn  of  expression  in  poetical  descriptions 
of  the  human  form,  weaken  the  force,  and  mar  by  very 
extravagance  the  general  impression  of  the  Song.  So  have 
the  types  in  the  Books  of  Moses  been  often  injured  by 
fantastic  interpretation,  and  the  Parables  of  Christ  over- 


SONG  OF  SOLOMON.  301 

strained  by  the  pressing  of  spiritual  analogies  into  every 
detail. 

The  charm  of  this  Song  to  every  Christian  heart,  is  its 
constant  suggestion  and  eulogy  of  Christ.  The  type 
Solomon  is  quite  forgotten  in  the  Pre-eminent  Antitype. 
Christ  is  the  winner  of  souls — His  name  is  fragrant — His 
love  passes  knowledge — His  person  is  sacred,  head  and 
foot  being  seen  as  of  fine  gold* — His  strength  is  as 
"pillars  of  marble" — His  "mouth  is  most  sweet,"  full  of 
gracious  words,  and  breathing  on  us  the  Holy  Ghost. 
"Yea,  He  is  altogether  lovely."  All  who  really  know 
Him  love  Him ;  and  the  more  they  know  Him,  the  more 
they  must  love  Him,  and  following  Him,  depart  from  all 
iniquity. 

Communion  with  Christ,  however,  may  be  interrupted, 
though  union  is  not  broken.  From  their  own  experi- 
ence, saints  understand  the  alternations  of  withdrawal  and 
manifestation  on  the  part  of  the  Beloved,  related  in  the 
Song.  He  is  not  always  in  the  garden,  or  always  at  the  table 
with  them,  but  is  in  Lebanon  or  in  the  top  of  Hermon;  and 
when  they  miss  Him,  He  often  comes  to  them  speedily 
and  as  with  a  sweet  surprise,  like  a  hart  leaping  on  the 
mountains,  and  bounding  on  the  hills.  "His  love  in  my 
heart  casteth  a  mighty  beat ;  He  knoweth  that  the  desire 
I  have  to  be  at  Himself  paineth  me.  I  have  sick  nights 
and  frequent  fits  of  love-fevers  for  my  well-Beloved. 
Nothing  paineth  me  now  but  want  of  presence.  I  think 
it  long  till  day.  I  challenge  time,  as  too  slow  in  its  pace, 
that  holdeth  my  only,  only  true  One,  my  well-Beloved 
from  me.     Oh  if  we  were  together  once  !""f" 

*  Chap.  v.  11-15.  t  Rutherford's  Letters  (to  William  Gordon). 


302  SYNOPTICAL  LECTURES. 

Before  the  first  advent,  those  who  waited  for  the  con- 
solation of  Israel  said,  "Make  haste,  0  Messiah!"  They 
longed  for  the  appearing  of  Him  of  whom  their  prophets 
had  spoken,  and  their  ancient  bards  had  sung:  and  the 
Lord  was  well  pleased  to  see  the  desire  for  Him  in  the 
hearts  of  pious  Hebrews.  He  would  not  come  into  the 
world  till  the  fulness  of  time ;  but  He  loved  to  hear  in 
many  a  Jewish  family,  in  solitudes  devoted  to  prayer,  and 
in  the  courts  of  the  Temple,  the  petition  ascend  for  His 
coming,  and  for  the  dayspring  from  on  high.  Such 
prayers  and  hopes  He  fostered,  bending  His  ear  to  listen, 
"  0  my  Dove,  let  me  hear  thy  voice  !" 

At  last  came  John  the  Baptist,  to  prepare  His  way. 
This  was  the  Bridegroom's  friend.  Then  was  the  Lord 
Himself  manifested  to  Israel.  He  gathered  saints,  He 
declared  the  Father,  He  gave  Himself  for  the  Church,  and 
then  left  the  world,  and  went  to  the  Father;  He  re- 
turned to  the  mountains  of  spices.  The  Church  now  loves 
an  unseen  Saviour.  She  longs  for  her  absent  Lord,  to 
whom  she  is  joined  in  the  marriage  covenant,  and  for 
whose  presence  she  is  being  prepared  and  adorned  with 
holy  beauties  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  "Bise  up,  my  Beloved!" 
is  her  prayer.  She  waits  the  happy  hour,  when  the  Lord 
will  gather  His  saints  as  the  Bride,  and  take  them  to  the 
high  mountains  to  be  for  ever  with  Him.  "  Amen,  even 
so,  come,  Lord  Jesus." 

Comfort  one  another  with  these  words,  all  ye  who  love 
His  appearing  !  We  have  no  relish  for  controversy  about 
the  time  and  manner  of  the  Advent ;  but  we  do  want  more 
realisation  of  it  as  our  "blessed  hope,"  more  thirst  and 
more  meetness  for  His  presence.     Let  it  be  added,  that 


SONG  OF  SOLOMON.  303 

this  comes  in  well  after  the  Book  of  Ecclesiastes.  The  weari- 
ness of  heart  under  the  sun,  is  best  cured  by  the  fervour  of 
spirit  expressed  in  the  Song  of  Songs.  The  world's  vanity 
has  no  power  to  occupy  or  chafe  those  who  are  full  of  a 
Divine  and  heavenly  love.  The  world's  gaieties  are  no- 
thing to  hearts  which  are  possessed  by  the  "  blessed  hope," 
or  thrilled  with  a  joy  unspeakable. 


"Beyond  the  smiling  and  the  weeping, 
Beyond  the  waking  and  the  sleeping, 
Beyond  the  sowing  and  the  reaping, 
Love,  rest,  and  home ! 
Sweet  hope ! 
Lord,  tarry  not,  but  come ! " 


THE  END. 


SANSON   AND   CO.,    riUNTEKS     ELINBUROH. 


II 


BS1187.F84 

Synoptical  lectures  on  the  books  of  Holy 

I h ni","1.? ".I.hf ,?l°^!  Semmary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00051    1917 


I  I 


